JICA Vietnam Office. Main Topics of the Month. (Vietnam Office Monthly Newsletter) Issued in December 2011 今月の主なトピックス

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1 JICA Vietnam Office (Vietnam Office Monthly Newsletter) Issued in December 2011 今月の主なトピックス Main Topics of the Month Monthly Highlights 1.Opening ceremony for the Thu Thiem Tunnel and parts of the East-West Highway, a project funded by Japan s ODA On 20 November, an official ceremony was held to mark the opening of entire sections of the East- West Highway, including Thu Thiem Tunnel, which connects the banks of the Saigon River running through the downtown area of Ho Chi Minh City. The ceremony attracted more than 500 participants, including Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang, Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai, and other highranking Vietnamese officials as well as Japanese Ambassador in Vietnam TANIZAKI Yasuaki and JICA Chief Representative in Vietnam TSUNO Motonori. About 22km of the entire East-West Highway is now in full operation. Taking the name of Vo Van Kiet Street in honor of the former Prime Minister of Vietnam, 13km of the highway in the west opened in September 2009 and has since been used by many people. Once the entire highway is opened to the public, it will greatly contribute to decreasing congestion in the downtown area of Ho Chi Minh City. The project will also enhance the development of the Thu Thiem Area, a part of the city across the Saigon River that has missed out on major development. It is notable that Thu Thiem Tunnel has been built under the Saigon River and is the first submerged tunnel in South East Asia. Building the tunnel was a complicated process, as Construction involved transporting and installing four sets of box-like structures 92m in length and 33m in width. These heavy structures were made separately and towed along the river to the installation site before being immersed under water. During the last year, each segment of the huge tunnel was individually towed along the river, drawing great attention from the media. The tunnel is equipped with illumination, air conditioners, a system to put out fires, measures for emergency relief and other facilities. Training for the tunnel management center was also provided. Although the toll collection system is installed, the toll will not be collected for the time being due to a lack of human resources. One of the highlights of the day was visits by hundreds of curious citizens to the newly-opened tunnel. A press conference was organized on the day before the ceremony, with interest from the 39 reporters present exceeding expectations. During the question and answer session, reporters asked a wide range of questions from enquiries related to technical issues to issues to do with management of the tunnel. 2. Top newspaper reporters win JICA Media Awards The JICA Media Awards for 2011 were handed out during a ceremony on 14 December. The event, held at the JICA Vietnam Office, saw awards given to prize winners Ms. Dang Thi Hong Hanh (Thanh Nien Weekly), Mr. Pham Anh Minh (Tien Phong), Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Le (Vietnam News) and Ms. Doan Tra My (Nhan Dan). Mr. Le won the first prize for his article about Mr. MUROTA Keisuke, a volunteer working at a poor village in the U Minh area in the Mekong Delta, a place few Vietnamese people visit. The story described how Mr. MUROTA, who could not speak Vietnamese at first, becomes accustomed to his new life in the village. He picked up some basic Vietnamese language skills and developed a close relationship with the villagers. Mr. MUROTA wondered what he could do for them, and started negotiations with companies in Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City to buy shrimps from the village, and export it to markets around the region. Ms. Hanh, a second prize winner, wrote about Ms. TAKAO Maiko, a volunteer working for a health program at the Center for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation of Disabled Children in Ho Chi Minh City. Many children at the center rely on Ms. Takao in their daily life. The story reported on Takao s work and close relationship with the children, as well as her dedication to the work at the center, where the Vietnamese gradually opened their hearts to her. Mr. Minh, another second prize winner, wrote a story about the construction of the Nhat Tan Bridge, which symbolized the friendship between Vietnam and Japan. This bridge is unique in its scale among other ODA projects funded by Japan. It applies new construction technology, and the length of the bridge at 1500m, makes it almost as long as the Millau Bridge in France. Mr. Minh concluded her report by highlighting expectations that the large scale and architecturally beautiful Nhat Tan Bridge will reduce traffic congestion in Hanoi, an issue that has become a source of great concern as the capital city as the country undergoes rapid growth. Ms. My wrote about a Vietnamese campaign for strengthening communities in rural areas and preserving traditional culture through handicraft development. This campaign under a project from 2006 to 2015 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has the slogan of One Village, One Handicraft, inspired by the One Village, One

2 Product movement in Japan. Focusing on Bat Trang Village, well known for its ceramics production, the article underlined the importance of master planning, development plans, trainings and other issues for the village, a place where the local business sector has remained small in scale despite significant successes in combining the craft and tourism sectors. Please access the following website for the entire articles. d_2011_article.html Two first prize winners joined a training program for young leaders in Japan for three weeks from 10 November. Mr. Minh commented on this visit: I am honored to win a prize in this contest. I expect to communicate with ordinary people in Japan to learn about their characteristics and attitudes. This experience would help me understand how Japan has gained such respect from other countries. Promotion of Economic Growth and Strengthening of International Competitiveness 3. Technical Cooperation in Mid-term Review for Project on Strengthening the System and Operation on Standards and Conformance A mid-term review was conducted from 6 to 18 November in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi on a project to Strengthen the System and Operation on Standards and Conformance, which JICA has worked on in cooperation with the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality, Ministry of Science and Technology (STAMEQ) and the Board of Accreditation (BoA). This project was signed in the Record of Discussion (R/D) in November The project s activities started in April 2010 after two long-term experts (a Chief Advisor and Project Coordinator) arrived in Vietnam. For one and a half years until November 2011, the project organized seminars, conducted market research by short-term experts, provided technical advice and more. In total, the project invited 7 short-term experts, provided equipment worth a total amount of 130 million Japanese Yen, and sent 33 people to join training programs in Japan. In order to fairly assess these activities, the Japanese mission and Vietnamese evaluators jointly evaluated the activities in detail. It is reported that every activity was highly valued from the Vietnamese side. On 17 November, the Minutes of this mid-term review was signed after revising some part of the outcome and objectives and adding preconditions to meet the situation in Vietnam so that the project conducts activities more effectively for another year and a half. 4. Technical Cooperation for The First Joint Coordinating Committee on the Project for Enhancing Capacity at the College of Transportation On 22 November, the first Joint Coordinating Committee was held, drawing participation from Mr. Do Ngoc Vien, the President of the University of Transportation Technology (UTT), representatives from the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Education and Training, and Mr. Nagase, a Deputy Representative of JICA. Participants at the meeting agreed on the major activities of the project: 1. Project experts and lecturers from UTT work together to revise textbooks; 2. Lecturers from UTT work on improving some of the subjects following advice from project experts; 3. A system will be developed for companies to work with lecturers on capacity building. A baseline survey will be conducted and the work plan will be submitted after six months. 5. Sharing Japan s Knowledge on High-Speed Railway with Vietnam From 8 to 16 November, counterpart training in the Study for Railway Development Alternatives on the North-South Railway Line was conducted. It received a total of 13 participants from the Communist Party of Vietnam s Central Committee, Committee of Science and Technology under the National Assembly, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transportation, and Vietnam Railways. The training provided lectures and site-visits regarding planning and implementation of high-speed railways, Japan s human resource development for high-speed railways, construction sites, and construction of train cars. The trainees said they highly valued the Japanese high-speed railway system for its safety and punctuality. They also appreciated the training program as it deepened their overall understanding of high-speed railway systems through practical experiences. For more articles about the training, please visit JICA s home page at: Improvement in Living and Social Conditions and Corrections of Disparities 6. Project supports improvement of public transport in Hanoi JICA will implement the Project on Improving Public Transportation in Hanoi for three years from June The project identifies problems across the entire urban transportation, with a focus on bus transportation in order to reduce traffic jams in the city. The project studies measures to realize a modal shift from private cars to public transportation

3 and also helps to develop a better framework for transportation works in Hanoi City necessary for effective maintenance plans, operation, and coordination on increasing use of buses. A press conference was organized on 11 November inviting local mass media (19 reporters from 18 companies). The event introduced the activities of the project, and many reporters showed interest in the reasons for continued traffic jams despite development of new transportation infrastructure in Hanoi. Mr. Takagi, an expert on transportation, responded to this question, saying: 1. There are structural problems in Hanoi. For example, the transportation network developed towards suburban areas, while the downtown area is still under development, and more people commute to the downtown area from the newly developed suburban areas. Furthermore, more high-rise buildings are constructed in the downtown area increasing the daytime population; 2. The number of four-wheel vehicles has been rising; 3. Many cars are parked on the roadsides; 4. Traffic at intersections is not smooth. Based on these factors, Mr. Takagi emphasized the importance of changing people s awareness on traffic safety through education. As a result of the press conference, more than 14 articles and TV programs introduced this project, highlighting JICA s work in Vietnam. 7. Technical Cooperation for Mid-term Review on the The Project on Capacity Development of Participatory Agricultural and Rural Development for Poverty Reduction in the Central Highlands JICA launched the above headlined project, which will run for 5 years, in January The project is located in Gia Lai Province where several minority groups reside. Enhancing the capacity development of administrators, mass organizations such as women s unions and citizen groups, the project aims at establishing a method of participatory rural development for improving the livelihood of minority groups. Currently, the Rural Development Group (RDG) has been Water Supply System Installed at the Project established with Site representatives from communes and villages in the project site. This RDG formulated an activity plan on rural development, and work on part of the plan has started. The Mid-term review was conducted in September 2011, the mid point of the project s duration. It studied inputs, activities, and progress on the plan. Furthermore, the review mission analyzed the achievement of objectives and outcome from 5 evaluation criteria (Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Impact and Sustainability). The mission also confirmed the issues that will be tackled during the rest of project s duration as well as the direction that the project is going to take. The residents in the project site assumed that the project provided financial support when it started. However, after working with the project experts for several months, villages provided both financial and human resources. This strong commitment from residents will encourage local ownership and the sustainability of the project. On the other hand, project experts said that project activities need to be implemented with careful consideration of cost-effectiveness, development plans of the local government and support systems, as some activities were implemented based on the needs of the community without sufficient consideration of technical and financial feasibility. In the latter half of the project s duration, work will include dissemination of lessons learned and outcomes from the communes involved as a model of JICA s ongoing nation-wide Rural Development Program. 8. Grant Aid for Community Empowerment - The Third Committee Meeting for The Project for Rehabilitation of Small-Scale Reservoirs in Quang Ngai Province On 22 November, the third committee meeting for the above titled project was organized at the Quang Ngai Provincial People s Committee with the participation of Mr. Le Viet Chu, the Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai Province s People s Committee. Quang Ngai Province in the Central Region of Vietnam has more than 100 small-scale water reservoirs. Meanwhile, agricultural water necessary for double-cropping of paddy rice tends to be insufficient. The water reservoirs have been decrepit and the storage capacity of the reservoirs is low. Water withdrawal systems and ditches for irrigation are also underdeveloped. Furthermore, the frequency of typhoon in this area means overflow from water reservoirs could occur due to the insufficient height of dams and scale of spillways. Based on the above conditions, this project has been implemented since August 2010 by local contractors under supervision of Japanese consultants. The first task of this project was to show residents why the water reservoirs needed upgrades and how this restoration benefits them. This work needs due attention in construction management, as farmers in the project site cannot farm for at least one year as all the water in the reservoirs has to be released. In addition, the work may be executed during the rainy season. Participants at the Quang Ngai Water Reservoir committee meeting agreed that the restoration work had progressed well. However, unexploded ordnance from the Vietnam War remain in this area, hence safety management systems needs to be thoroughly prepared. Environmental Protection 9. Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education and Training Participates in Capacity Development of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Education Project From 6 to 10 December, Mr. Nguyen Vinh Hien, a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) and 9 directorial level officials including those from the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MONRE) participated in a training program in Japan on Capacity Development of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Education. The

4 participants visited Tokyo, Kyoto and Kobe during a 5-day period. The training included: At the JICA Headquarter, Mr. Hirota, Director General of Southeast Asia and Pacific Department, and Disaster Management Division, Global Environment Department, explained JICA s cooperation with Vietnam on climate change and disaster management, and the participants shared opinions on this issue. At the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the participants made a courtesy call to Mr. KII Takashi, a Vice Minister of MEXT. They also received an introduction from the MEXT officials regarding Japan s work on education of disaster management and lessons learnt from the Great East Japan Earthquake. In Shinjuku City, the participants made a courtesy call to Ms. NAKAYAMA Hiroko, the Mayor of the City, and visited the Shinjuku Yotsuya 6 th Elementary School. At the school, the participants found out about the school s safety measures and its cooperation with the community in disaster management. The participants also tasted some foods used as emergency supplies. Kyoto University provided a lecture on Japan s current higher education work on climate change and disaster management, and organized an exchange meeting with Vietnamese students studying in Kyoto University. Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education outlined work on education on disaster management and textbooks on the issue after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. The participants visited Maiko High School (Hyogo Prefecture), which has an Environment and Disaster Mitigation Course, the only course of its kind in Japan, and exchanged opinions with students taking the course. The participants said that Japanese high-school students are friendly and study very hard. In addition to the schedule outlined above, the participants visited the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institute in Kobe City. At the institute, SEEDS ASIA and Saijo City, the two agencies implementing projects in Vietnam regarding education on disaster mitigation, provided presentations in the Vietnamese language. Presenters and participants actively exchanged opinions. MOET has just developed the action plan on education for two of Vietnam s National Strategies: The National Strategy for Natural Disaster Prevention, Response and Mitigation to 2020 and The National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change (NTP-RCC). However, MOET s techniques to construct disaster resilient schools and include disaster management and climate change in school curriculums are insufficient. With this in mind, the Vietnamese Government officially requested the Japanese Government to provide support for education on disaster management and climate change. This training was organized based on the request from the Vice Minister of MOET to gain insights into Japan s current education on disaster management and climate change. In the central area of Vietnam where natural disaster frequently occur, students go to school walking through flooded roads during the rainy season, and going to school can be very dangerous. In Japan, after experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11 in 2011, disaster education and disaster management are under reform in order to develop students capacity for hazard anticipation and avoidance. The participants of this training are strongly aware of the necessity of sharing the lessons learnt from disasters with children in Vietnam. 10. Technical Cooperation - Workshop on "Human Resource Development for Water Supply Companies" On 23 November, the Ministry of Construction, Vietnam Water Supply and Sewerage Association (VWSA), College of Urban Works Construction (CUWC) including the training centers in the Central Region of Vietnam, Yokohama Waterworks Bureau and the project team organized a capacity development workshop for 15 directors and officials from Water Supply Companies (WSC) in the Central Region of Vietnam, and total participants exceeded 50 people. The workshop provided lectures during its first half, and organized a discussion session later on. Diverse opinions and information were actively exchanged among participants from the different groups. Japanese experts pointed out the importance of developing human resources who are proud of and responsible for their work. The experts also mentioned the necessity of a human resource management system that encourages competent staff through careful target setting and appropriate evaluation. The participants at the workshop appeared to be stimulated by the opinion of Japanese experts on this issue. During the discussion session, it was found that water supply companies commonly faced difficulties in developing human resources due to gaps among staff. The Director of the Water Supply Company in Quang Ngai Province said, Many of our managerial staff, including myself, entered water supply companies as workers, not as engineers, after the Vietnam War. Moreover, there was no school for waterworks until the 1990s. On the other hand, the younger generations who studied waterworks do not have sufficient work experience. This is the background to the gap of knowledge and expertise. This gap is more obvious in rural areas. His point clarified the issues that need to be addressed in regards to waterworks in Vietnam. This project will continue strengthening the capacity of training centers in the Central Region so that the project contributes to the development of human resources for water supply companies in the region. 11. Technical Cooperation - The First Workshop on The Project on Capacity Building for the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Figuring out the amount of emitted greenhouse gas as well as the tendency of the emission is crucial for Vietnam to achieve economic growth that is in harmony with environment protection. Targeting the capacity building of the greenhouse gas inventory, a foundation of such harmonized economic growth, this project organized its first workshop in Hanoi City on 2 November. Co-chaired by the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment, the project implementing agency, and JICA, the workshop received participants from ministries, Vietnamese

5 experts and donors. Experts from the National Institute for Environmental Studies introduced case studies in Japan and other countries. In addition, the participants discussed the current situation of the greenhouse gas inventory in Vietnam, issues on international standards, strategies of this project and other factors. The discussion shows strong expectations for coming project activities. 12. Expert Meeting on United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)/Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Recently the REDD+ * has been drawing great attention as a measure for the forestry sector to mitigate global warming, and the implementation of the REDD+ is being actively discussed. During these discussions, participants said the Forest Reference Emission Level/Reference Level (Forest REL/RL) was expected to indicate the amount of greenhouse gas emitted from and absorbed in forests in the past and into the future. On 14 and 15 November, a meeting of experts was held in Bonn, Germany. At the meeting, Mr. Suzuki Kei (Japan Forest Technology Association), an expert on The Study of Potential Forests and Land Related to Climate Change and Forests in Vietnam, and his Vietnamese counterpart from the Vietnam Administration of Forestry, jointly made the first presentation of the meeting. The presentation was based on scientific data collected in Vietnam and its analysis. This presentation was internationally acclaimed, as it showed concrete issues that added more weight to the past political and abstract arguments, and will be useful for future discussion. Furthermore, the result of this cooperation is crucial for JICA, as JICA has been increasing its support for REDD+ not only in Vietnam but also all over the world. For more details, go to On November 14, the results of four years of experiences from a Technical Cooperation Project on Enhancing Capacity of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in Water Environment Protection Phase 2 was presented to relevant experts and officials. This is the final workshop in the project, hence it shared its compiled outcome. The Institute of Environmental Technology (IET) under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) jointly organized this workshop, and it received more than 80 participants. In its presentation, the IET said the institute has strengthened its capacity to develop sewerage disposal and effluent treatment technology, and bolstered its guidelines suitable for Vietnam and monitoring manuals for water environment and learning materials, and even improved policy recommendation to administrative bodies. The IET is expected to effectively utilize its technology, experience and capacity, thereby contributing to society as a whole. * REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation in Developing countries) is an institution for preventing deforestation in developing countries. Others 13. Joint Portfolio Performance Review On 14 and 15 November, 6 banks (JICA, World Bank, ADB, AfD, KfW, and EDCF) and the Inter-ministerial Taskforce (IMTF), mainly run by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), organized the seventh Joint Portfolio Performance Review (JPPR). The review is held every 2 years, and during this round, the JPPR received about 100 participants including directors of 6 banks and Mr. Sinh, Vice Minister of Planning and Investment as a representative of the IMTF. The participants discussed issues to be tackled in achieving effectiveness and efficiency of ODA, and reviewed progress of the Joint Action Plan prepared by the 6 Banks. 14. Networking in the JICA Partnership Program On 3 November, the networking meeting for people working for the JICA Partnership Program (JPP) was held. Currently 27 projects are on-going under this program in Vietnam, and 9 Japanese staff are in the country as project managers or coordinators. Each implementing organization conducts its project in cooperation with overseas offices of JICA as well as domestic offices in charge. On the other hand, implementing organizations tend to face similar difficulties. This networking session aims to strengthen the relationship among JPP projects so that projects are implemented more effectively. At the networking meeting, each implementing organization outlined their work, methods applied in their activities, issues to be addressed and so on. Participants actively shared techniques for coordinating with counterparts, and advice for solving difficulties and more. This networking session strengthens the relationship among implementing organizations, and helps to ensure the smooth implementation of JPP projects. 15. Workshop for Participatory Community Development On 15 November, the workshop for participatory community development was held at the JICA Vietnam Office. The participants were from the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD), National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection (NIAPP), College of Agriculture and Forestry of Hue University, Can Tho University, National Economics University, Women s Union, and Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. JICA plans to implement a three-year program that includes a three-year country-focused training program in Japan, activities in Vietnam and workshops. The program aims to produce a facilitator s manual and guidelines for local government that enhances community development. During this workshop, as the first workshop in this program, the rationale and contents of the program was shared. JICA discussed the rationale of conducting community development in Vietnam, experiences of community development in Vietnam and Japan, and the importance of this program and its tentative schedule. Each participant actively

6 shared opinions based on his/her experiences. This workshop aims to develop common understanding on this program among participants. The training in Japan will take place in February next year, and allow participants to have a better understanding of facilitation and development of action plans. Newly Started Projects 16. Technical Cooperation - Project on Strengthening Capacity of Inspection to Ensure Safety of Agro-Fishery Foods (signed in R/D on 8 November) This project will provide technical cooperation to the National Agro Fisheries Forestry Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD) for three years to construct and strengthen the system that continuously screens the safety of agro-forestry and fishery products The food supply in Vietnam has been expanding along with the country s rapid development during the past 10 years. Meanwhile, policies and organizations for food safety and hygiene have yet to be adequately established, and managers in the food sector tend to have limited capacity. This has resulted in infectious diseases and food poisoning, especially among vulnerable people such as children and the elderly. Further, ensuring work on food safety meets international standards is an urgent need as the export of agro-forestry and fisheries products is one of the important industries in Vietnam. Under this circumstance, recognizing the importance of a screening system to ensure the safety of domestic agricultural and fisheries products, the Vietnamese Government requested cooperation with Japan, a country with rich experiences in work on food safety.