Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam Office Shimizu Akira speaking at the press conference, Hanoi, October 12, 2022. Photo: Thanh Huyen/VOV

Shimizu Akira, Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam Office, told a press conference reviewing activities in the first half of fiscal year 2022 that in the past 4 years, Vietnam's loans from international organizations, including JICA, have decreased 16-20%, a good sign that Vietnam's economy continues to grow and has an influence globally.

However, he said that to be able to develop sustainably, a country needs to invest in the development of infrastructure and high-quality human resources, which will be prioritized to receive JICA’s ODA loans. 

“Vietnam has to date maintained a stable economic growth rate, but the driving force behind this growth rate is the expansion of exports and direct investment. For a stable society, high-quality human resources and infrastructure development are indispensable factors. ODA will continue to play an important role in infrastructure development - the growth engine of Vietnam,” Shimizu Akira said.  

As part of its "Global Health Initiative", JICA, through Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, Hue Central Hospital, and Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, continues to establish a system of distance training for grassroots healthcare and improve medical techniques through digital transformation.

JICA is considering new loans for some solar and wind power generation projects and continue to send green growth experts to Vietnamese localities to help the country achieve its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.