HCM CITY — HCM City has called for investment from Spanish businesses in urban waste treatment, transport and flood control during a recent visit by a Spanish delegation to the city to explore business opportunities.   

The delegation was led by Jaime Garcia Legaz Ponce, Deputy Minister of Commerce and chairman of the Foreign Trade, Investment and Export Institute.

At a meeting earlier this week with the delegation, Võ Văn Hoan, chief of the city People’s Committee Office, said the city is seeking to accelerate socio-economic development, including expansion of transport infrastructure.

However, it faces a number of challenges caused by rapid urbanisation and climate change, including worsening traffic congestion, regular flooding, and environmental pollution, he said.

He called on Spanish investors to build a modern waste treatment plant since the metro with a population of more than 10 million now has only one plant.

The lone plant also uses obsolete technologies and cannot cope with increasing volume of household waste, he noted.

The city also sought help from the Spanish Government to speed up major flood-control works, especially one to renovate the drainage system and dyke embankment.

Hoan appreciated Spain’s support for the metro route No 1 and No 5 and sought its continued help to expand the metro network.

Ponce spoke highly of the metro route No 1 project that has many Spanish contractors, and assured that his government is committed to continuing support for the city’s metro projects.

He also said that his government is willing to co-operate with HCM City for anti-flooding projects and a large-scale waste treatment facility. — VNS