The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee worked with the KfW inspection team.

The Son La City Drainage and Wastewater Treatment System Project (additional scale), approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1432/QD-TTg dated September 21, 2020, and by the Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 965/QD-UBND dated May 22, 2021, has a total adjusted and additional investment of VND 208,124.457 million. This includes: an additional VND 146,362.553 million in preferential ODA loans from the German Government; an additional VND 12,498.905 million in non-refundable ODA loans from the Swiss Government; and an additional VND 49,263 million in counterpart funding. The adjusted project implementation period extends to December 31, 2025.

Comrade Le Hong Minh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, delivered a speech at the working session.

The project's investment aims to improve drainage service coverage and increase connection rates, reduce flooding, address wastewater-related issues, meet discharge standards, and contribute to sustainable development and environmental protection in the area. The investment scale includes two main components: Renovation and repair of 8 traffic routes and the rainwater drainage system; and expansion of the wastewater collection pipeline network, extending the collection coverage to approximately 3,650 households (including: primary, secondary, and tertiary network connections to households and two pumping stations, PS6 and PS7).

KfW inspection team

Based on the provisions of the International Agreement of the project, the regulations of Vietnamese law, and the overall project implementation plan, and fulfilling the task assigned by the Provincial People's Committee as the investor, the Project Management Board has proactively and urgently organized and completed the investment preparation work; advised on fundraising, and negotiated and signed international agreements. Currently, the project is in the investment phase with 2 construction packages.

At the meeting, the Provincial People's Committee, along with relevant departments and agencies and the working group, discussed and resolved current difficulties and obstacles of the project, such as: the progress of extending the project implementation time and the issue of extending the time for allocating capital to the project; the situation regarding the supplementary ODA capital plan; the feasibility and time for implementing some remaining additional and newly arising investment items…

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Le Hong Minh thanked Mr. Hans-Christian Traute and the delegation members for their interest in the project and for their specific and prompt feedback, which has enabled the project to progress as it is today. The Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments and agencies are paying close attention to and supporting the relevant units in implementing the project according to plan. At the same time, he requested that the donor, KfW, in its meetings with the Government and central ministries and agencies, assist in discussions to obtain early approval from the Prime Minister for adjusting the allocation of central government budget funds and allocating annual funds according to the adjusted project schedule until December 31, 2025; and consider supporting the investor in the project adjustment process, organizing the implementation of supplementary investment projects using surplus funds from the Agreement to expand the scope of wastewater collection and increase the efficiency of investment capital. The province is committed to strictly adhering to the agreement and will continue to monitor, urge, and closely coordinate with the donor, KfW, to complete the project.

Nhu Thuy