Comrade Tran Quoc Phuong, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Finance and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam Ito Naoki on behalf of Governments of two countries signing Exchange Notes

The Ceremony was attended by representatives of ministries and Central sectors; and leaders of Northern midland and mountainous provinces (Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Son La, Lao Cai). Representing Thai Nguyen Province was comrade Nguyen Linh, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee.

At the Ceremony, the parties signed 3 Exchange Notes on 3 loans of Government of Japan for programs and projects including: General budget support program for green transition towards green growth goals and climate change adaptation; Disaster-resilient rural development project; and Climate-resilient infrastructure development project to support production for ethnic minorities in Northern midland and mountainous provinces. Total value of 3 loans is approximately JPY 90 billion, equivalent to about USD 609 million.

Comrade Tran Quoc Phuong, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Finance and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam Ito Naoki on behalf of Governments of two countries exchanging signed Exchange Notes

Speaking at the Signing Ceremony, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong emphasized: 3 signed Exchange Notes continue to affirm Japan is the largest bilateral donor of Vietnam and affirm the concern of Government of Japan in strengthening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership relations with Vietnam. Simultaneously, it is a step to concretize commitments of high-level leaders of two countries on promoting new-generation ODA cooperation for priority fields such as green transition and climate change adaptation. The above-mentioned programs and projects supported by Government of Japan are all programs and projects of important significance, actively supporting socio-economic development of Vietnam, focusing on fields of improving essential infrastructure to enhance climate change response capacity in Northern midland and mountainous provinces, which is a still poor and difficult region of Vietnam.

Thai Nguyen province participates in signing Exchange Note of loan for Climate-resilient infrastructure development project to support production for ethnic minorities in Northern midland and mountainous provinces. The Project includes 05 independent projects managed by 4 Provincial People's Committees as governing bodies, in which Thai Nguyen implements 2 projects (including a project in Bac Kan province previously). Goal of the Project is to support ethnic minorities to escape poverty, rise to get rich and step by step transition from small-scale production to large-scale production under market mechanism, adapting to climate change; thereby narrowing development gap among regions, contributing to ensuring social security and regional stability.

Comrade Nguyen Linh, Member of the Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of Thai Nguyen Province People's Committee (second from left) and delegates at the Signing Ceremony

The Project has an implementation time of 4 years. For Thai Nguyen province, total investment reaches over VND 1,790 billion. In which, the part managed by Thai Nguyen Province People's Committee (previously) as governing body has a total investment of more than VND 921 billion (ODA loan capital over VND 712 billion, counterpart capital more than VND 208 billion), deploying 7 sub-projects on transport, irrigation and domestic water supply. For the project part in Bac Kan province area previously (now belonging to Thai Nguyen), total investment is more than VND 871 billion (ODA loan capital about over VND 655 billion, counterpart capital more than VND 215 billion), deploying 4 transport sub-projects.

Participating in the Project not only helps Thai Nguyen strengthen essential infrastructure serving production and life but also creates driving force to promote socio-economic development in mountainous area, improving climate change adaptation capacity in the coming period.