Can Tho, (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a conference ontackling difficulties to speed up highway projects and disbursement of OfficialDevelopment Assistance (ODA) capital in the Mekong Delta, which took place inCan Tho city on July 8 afternoon.

At present eight highway projects with a total length of morethan 460km are being implemented in the Mekong Delta, with total investment ofapproximately 94.4 trillion VND (3.99 billion USD).

Officials of relevant ministries, sectors and localities reported that thoseprojects are facing obstacles related to ground clearance and a shortage of materialsfor roads’ foundation.

Stressing that the Mekong Delta is an especially important strategicregion and the greatest agricultural hub of the country, PM Chinh said theParty and State have issued many policies and undertaken measures to make thebest use of the region’s potential and advantages, one of which is investmentin infrastructure.

A series of highway projects were launched in the deltarecently, aiming to increase the total length of highways in the region to554km in 2026.

To remove the obstacles and accelerate the transport projects, the PMinstructed that investors of those projects should closely monitor the pace ofconstruction and take firm actions in controlling the quality and pace of workas well as the use of capital.

Relevant ministries must work closely with People’s Committees of provinces andcities where the projects run through to create favourable conditions andtimely address arising problems for the projects, he said.

Regarding those projects which have not completed ground clearance,the Government leader required local administrations to intensify the work soas to hand over the ground to contractors before December 31 this year at thelatest. He particularly reminded the administrations to pay attention to ensuringhousing and livelihoods for people who have to relocate to make way for thehighway projects.

Regarding ODA projects in the Mekong Delta, the averagedisbursement rate in the region in the first six months of this year is only5.3%, much lower than the national rate of 15.7%. The region now has 62projects using ODA and foreign loans worth over 56.4 trillion VND (2.8 billionUSD).

Participants at the conference attributed the slow disbursement to obstaclescaused by outdated institutions and regulations, poor preparations for theprojects; problems in adjusting projects, investment intents and loanagreements; and issues in procedures of both Vietnam and donors.

PM Chinh required Chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees of 13Mekong Delta localities to review ODA projects and select project management boardsand investors with good capacity and experience for implementation.

He also instructed the Ministry of Planning and Investment tocoordinate with the Finance Ministry and related agencies and localities to workwith development partners on streamlining and harmonizing procedures of thepartners and Vietnam./.