Seminar held to promote highways development

Nhan Dan - A seminar entitled "Strategic studies for investment in highways in Vietnam" was held in Hanoi on November 6 by the World Bank and the Ministry of Transport.

Delegates to the seminar was presented with a report on the overview of highway development planning in Vietnam, experiences from some countries and application in the management and financial mobilisation for development of the highway network in Vietnam.

Together with investment from the State budget, it is important to pay attention to other capital sources mobilised by investors under such models as BOT (build-operate-transfer), BTO (build-transfer-operate), BT (build-transfer) and PPP (public-private partnership). All domestic and foreign economic sectors are encouraged to invest in highways.

Addressing the seminar, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung stressed that Vietnam's socio-economic development in the first decade of the 21st century is to strengthen socialist-oriented industrialisation and modernisation and lay foundation for Vietnam to basically become an industrial country by 2020. This requires a strong and modern infrastructure to create impetus for socio-economic development in which the highway network occupies a significant role.

The Deputy PM said Vietnam needs great support and assistance from international donors, both financial and technological, in order to develop Vietnam’s traffic network to meet domestic increasing demand.

On the occasion, on behalf of the Vietnamese government, Deputy PM Hung thanked the WB's assistance, especially in infrastructure development and wished for more assistance from the bank in the coming time.