The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will maintain close coordination with the Vietnamese Government as the biggest official development assistance (ODA) partner of Japan, according to JICA Representative Chief Mori Mutsuya.

Viet Nam continues to be largest ODA partner of Japan.

Speaking at an annual press conference in Ha Noi on April 1, he revealed that his agency will work with Viet Nam in 13 new technical cooperation projects and hold 83 training courses in the 2015 fiscal year, focusing mainly on infrastructure and urban transport development, social affairs and the enhancement of global competitiveness.

Viet Nam is currently the largest recipient of official development assistance (ODA) from Japan, he said, adding that JICA is currently implementing over 150 technical and loan cooperation projects in the Southeast Asian country.

Viet Nam and Japan have signed a loan agreement of 36.3 billion JPY (302.4 million USD) for the second phase of construction of the Thai Binh thermal power plant and the power transmission line.

In 2015, JICA aims to sign ODA loan agreements worth at least 165.6 billion JPY (1.4 billion USD) with Viet Nam, the JICA official said, adding that whether this can be done depends on the Vietnamese side, which has cumbersome administrative procedures.

Social affairs are also a target of JICA activities in Viet Nam , he said, noting that his agency has supported Viet Nam to set up a free hotline for human trafficking prevention and victim support as well as designing health handbooks for mothers and children, narrowing gaps in healthcare and improving preventive health services.

(Source: VNA)