The Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam (MPI), the World Bank (WB), and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will be the co-organisers. This is the third international conference on this issue, aiming to heighten the efficiency of international aid and improve access to aid capital.

A source from MPI said that Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem would deliver the opening and closing speeches.

International donators have pledged to give Vietnam $4.45bil this year in official development assistance (ODA). Several donors have committed to bring money to Vietnam in the next five years and give aid to more subjects. According to MPI, ODA capital will be pumped into infrastructure projects like transportation, bridges, human resource development and new legal framework compilation.

ODA capital will be disbursed soon to three projects to be implemented at once: the North – South Highway, the North – South Railway and the metro system in HCM City. These are projects which will have great impacts on the national economy and people of Vietnam.

Last year, the ODA capital committed to Vietnam was $3.7bil, and $1.8bil was disbursed, a low disbursement level. In general, the disbursement ratio is 13-14%. Klaus Rohland, Vietnam Country Director of the World Bank, said that while countries with the same conditions as Vietnam often have the disbursement time of five years, the disbursement time for Vietnam is 6 or 7 years; therefore, citizens don’t benefit from ODA soon enough.

(Source: VNE)