Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnamese Government and the World Bank(WB) have signed a 126.9 million USD financing agreement to improve access toinfrastructure, connectivity and reduce flood risk in the urban core of Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long, the WB said on January 6.
The 126.9 million USD creditis provided through the WB’s International Development Association (IDA). Theproject is being co-financed by a 19.5 million USD grant from the DevelopmentRelated Infrastructure Investment Vehicle (DRIVE), a facility provided by theDutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The balance of the project cost is to befunded by the Vietnamese Government.
Vinh Long City is strategically located along theeconomic corridor that connects Ho Chi Minh City with the Mekong Delta, and hasgreat potential to become a regional hub for agribusiness, trade, and tourism.However, flooding and poor environmental sanitation are major impediments holdingback the city’s development. Located at a low elevation on the Tien Riverplain, about 60 percent of the city is prone to flooding.
The Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced ClimateResilience Project, at a total cost of 202.2 million USD, will help removephysical constraints to development in the urban core area through thedevelopment of flood control systems, drainage, wastewater collection andtreatment, and investment in key urban roads.
According to the WB, nearly half of the project’sfunding will be used to develop flood risk mitigation measures, includingembankments and tidal sluice gates, rehabilitation and upgrades of the canaland drainage system, and investments in green infrastructure to retain and infiltraterainwater. The project will also support the building of three strategic roadsthat will improve the inter-city connectivity and further enhance the city’sflood protection capacity.
This project will further improve urban managementand planning through investments in data, information and communicationtechnology. Key components will include an integrated flood risk managementinformation system, a geospatial data sharing platform, information, education,and communication campaigns, and improved transportation management./.