The Prime Minister on July 25 issued Decision No. 1257/QD-TTg to approve an action plan to improve the implementation of projects and programs funded by official development assistance (ODA) and preferential loans during 2014-15.
The action plan sets forth six main tasks, including designing strategies and policies on ODA and preferential loans; perfecting legal frameworks and mechanisms for ODA and preferential loans; improving the quality of ODA-funded projects and programs and assuring the progress of negotiation and conclusion of treaties; enhancing the management of organizations engaged in project implementation; increasing the responsibility of agencies at all levels for settling problems; increasing transparency and stepping up anti-corruption activities; and enhancing supervision and assessment.
Under the plan, the Ministry of Planning and Investment will be responsible for developing a project on attraction, management and use of ODA and preferential loans in the 2016-20 period.
The ministry will also review ongoing ODA-funded projects and programs and consider those expected to use ODA and soft loans in order to ensure that ODA amounts to be used will not exceed the public and government debt ceilings approved by the National Assembly. These projects will be submitted to the Government for approval in the last quarter of 2015.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will prepare and submit a draft law amending the Law on Conclusion, Accession to and Implementation of Treaties in accordance with the 2013 Constitution, under which the simplification of conclusion of treaties on ODA and preferential loans is encouraged.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will provide guidance on construction site clearance, while the Ministry of Finance will review the implementation of Government Decree No. 78/2010/ND-CP of July 14, 2010, on on-lending of the Government’s foreign loans, and propose effective on-lending mechanisms.-
