"I am Interested in Forest Development Projects in Dak Lak Province"

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Vietnam has financed many projects like the “poverty reduction implementation support III” loan, “forestry development to improve living standards in Central Highland” project, and “urgent solution to natural disasters in 2005.” In April 2009, the workgroup of ADB in Vietnam paid a working visit to Dak Lak province. The reporter of Vietnam Business Forum has a talk with Mr Ayumi Konishi, ADB Resident Mission Country Director in Vietnam, on orientations and programmes to be implemented at middle-term meeting of Consultative Group 2009 (CG 2009) which is set to take place in Dak Lak in June 2009.

This is the second time I visited Dak Lak. I care forest development projects here and I strongly support the hosting of CG Meeting in June 2009.

 

I find out that Dak Lak has grown very fast but I feel that donors still do not know much about Dak Lak in particular and the Central Highlands in general. Possibly, in their minds, this place is still very poor while do not know that Dak Lak has an invaluable asset, coffee. I hope that the CG Meeting will care more of Dak Lak like me.

 

Vietnam is developing. The Vietnamese Government is effectively addressing impacts of global economic recession. However, in my opinion, there is a weak point: Recession is usually mentioned in major cities, not provinces like Dak Lak. At the upcoming CG Meeting, international donors will share experience to improve economic slowdown in Vietnam.

 

For Dak Lak, I recommend that the province need to speed up implementation of existing projects and create jobs. This is also the best method to absorb ODA capital.

Finally, I hope beneficiary localities to use this source of capital effectively and transparently.