From 5th July to 30th July 2021, the Asian Management and Development Institute (AMDI) participated in the annual ADB Mission under the Fourth Greater Mekong Subregion Corridor Towns Development Project (GMS4). This is the annual mission meeting to evaluate the project progress by the Asia Development Bank.
The Fourth Greater Mekong Subregion Corridor Towns Development Project (GMS4) – Asian Development Bank (ADB) Grant has been implemented from 2019 with the aim to support the Government of the Lao PDR in improving urban environmental services and enhancing regional economic connectivity in the towns of Paksan and Thakhek, two towns located along the North-South Economic Corridor in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). The project’s results will accelerate urban development node along the GMS North-South Economic Corridor in Lao PDR and promote the Eighth Five-Year National Socioeconomic Development Plan, 2016–2020 targeting balanced regional and local development to balance regional and local development.
The Asian Management and Development Institute (AMDI) – the Lead Firm of AMDI-CONINCO-BMEC Joint-Venture is the Project Implementation Consultant (PIC) for 60 project months under the Contract CS-01 signed on 11 March 2019.
From 6 and 7 July 2021, the ADB mission for the GMS4 Project was held in both Bolikhamxay and Khammouane Provinces, Lao PDR. Attending the Mission Meeting, there were participation of Mr Phitsamay Kongsadeth – Director of Department of Public Works and Transport, Khammouane Province, Mr Vixay Phoumy - Director of Department of Public Works and Transport, Bolikhamxay Province, Mme Visaphone Inthilath - Deputy Minister of Housing and Urban Department, Mme. Malychanh Sananikhom – PCU Director of GMS4 Project and other Project Coordination Unit (PCU) staff, Paksan and Thakhek Project Implementation Units (PIUs), representatives of relevant Ministries/Departments such as Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry/Department of Investment Planning, and Ministry of Finance. From the PIC team, Mr. Sangvan Soukkaseum – National Deputy Team Leader and the local experts attended the Mission; The International Team Leader and other International Specialists participated virtually.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has been extremely complicated during the past 2 years with limited international travels between Laos and Vietnam, the meetings/ training courses are not allowed to be conducted with many participants, and the city lockdown throughout the country, including 2 project provinces Bolikhamxay and Khammouane during April and May 2021… the project has achieved its positive results. Specifically, over the past 2 years, PIC Team has achieved more than one third of the planned progress for the entire 5 years. Especially, the ICP Package Contract: PS-CW03/Lot 1: Paksan Municipal Solid Waste Subproject was awarded in early 2021 and has been commencement since February 2021. The ICB Package Contracts for 3 other Subprojects including DR-CW01/Lot 1 & Lot 2: Stormwater Draining Subprojects in both Paksan and Thakhek Town and PS-C03/Lot 2: Thakhek Municipal Solid Waste Subproject are expectedly awarded and commenced in Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 of 2021.
Delegates visited the Paksan Municipal Solid Waste Construction Site
After the field visits in both Bolikhamxay and Khammouane Provinces on 6th and 7th July, 2021, the ADB Mission meetings were held virtually between ADB, PCU and PIC Team on 26th – 27th July 2021 and 30th July 2021. Mr. Nguyen Dac Phuong – PIC International Team Leader updated the project implementation progress and the PIC’s International Specialists presented project works related to the social safeguards, resettlement, social environmental safeguards and social development and gender (GAP). The ADB highly appreciated the results achieved by PIC Team during the past 2 years although the COVID-19 Pandemic has been still complicated and the international experts couldn’t travel to Laos to monitor, manage and supervise the project and work construction. All Project activities are effectively managed through regular virtual meetings between ADB, PCU and PIC.
Virtual Meeting of ADB Mission for the GMS4 Project
To wrap-up the mission, Mme. Malychanh Sananikhom, PCU Director highly appreciated the efforts of PIC Team and expressed her belief that PIC Team would continue to accelerate the technical detailed engineering design completion for the remaining subprojects to ensure the project implementation as scheduled with high efficiency.