Japan has pledged to provide official development

Tokyo (VNA) – Japan has pledged to provide official development assistance
(ODA) loans worth nearly 120 billion JPY (1.3 billion USD) in total for Vietnam
during the 2009 fiscal year.

To this effect, seven agreements were signed by Deputy Minister of Finance Tran
Xuan Ha and Oshima Kenzo, Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA), in Tokyo on November 10.

The loans will be used to support small- and medium-sized enterprises, encourage
the effective use of energy and clean energy sources as well as build the Thai
Binh Thermoelectricity Plant and the first phase of the electricity transmission
line.

The loans will also help develop infrastructure, reduce poverty and stimulate
economic development.

According to the Ministry of Finance, in the context of the world economic
crisis, the signing of the agreements continues proving the importance of the
Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership.

This is the 17 th consecutive year the Japanese government has provided ODA for
Vietnam . Japan ’s total ODA pledged for Vietnam since 1992 has reached
over 1,370 billion JPY and the commitment for the 2009 fiscal year is the largest
one.

Infrastructure, energy, transport, seaport and telecommunication are areas that
have received the most ODA funding from Japan .

Many Japanese-funded projects such as the Pha Lai, Phu My Thermoelectricity
Plants, Ham Thuan-Da My Hydropower Plant, Tan Son Nhat International
Airport and Bai Chay Bridge have helped boost the socio-economic
development in Vietnam.-Enditem