On 20 December 2019, the First Central Project Steering Committee Meeting under the Fourth Greater Mekong Subregion Corridor Towns Development Project (GMS4) was held at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Vientiane, Lao PDR.
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) with the 60-consultation-month Service Contract CS-01 signed on 11 March 2019.
Ms. Malychanh Sananikhom, PCU Director presented overview about GMS4 Project
Attending the Meeting, the Lao PDR’s participants include Mme. Vilaykham Phosalath - Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr. Bounseng Pathammavong - Vice Governor of Bolikhamxay Province, Mr. Bounmy Phimmason - Vice Governor of Khammouane Province, Mr. Khamthavy Thaiphachanh - Director 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 such as Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Investment Planning, and Ministry of Finance. Mr. Ngo Cong Chinh, International Team Leader and 02 technical specialists are representatives for the PIC team.
Mr. Ngo Cong Chinh – GMS4 Team Leader updating the implementation progress of GMS4 Project
At the Meeting, Ms. Malychanh Sananikhom, PCU Director presented an overview about GMS4 Project. Mr. Ngo Cong Chinh – GMS4 Team Leader delivered a presentation to update implementation progresses of GMS4 project during the past 10 months.
Mme. Vilaykham Phosalath, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport, on behalf of the PCU, highly appreciated the results achieved by PIC Team in the past 10 months which accounts for nearly 20% of the workload planned for the entire 5 years as follows: (i) Completed technical surveys including geology, topography and hydrology for 08 subprojects in Paksan and Thakhek Towns; (ii) Completed the detailed engineering design for the Municipal Solidwaste Sub-projects, and Pre-design for the Stormwater Drainage Sub-projects; (iii) Updated the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) reports for the Municipal Solidwaste Sub-projects; (iv) Completed 04 training courses according to the training plan 2019; (v) Prepared urban development plans, Gender Action Plan (GAP), communication and capacity building...
Mr. Nguyen Dac Phuong -Solidwaste Management Engineer, CONINCO presented the Detailed Engineering Design for the Municipal Solidwaste Subprojects.
In the afternoon, the Detailed Engineering Design for the Municipal Solid waste Sub-projects and the Pre-design for the Stormwater Drainage Sub-projects were presented and received positive feedbacks as well as constructive comments from participants in the Meeting. These comments are received by the PIC Consultants and will be taken to finalize the technical designs for including into bidding documents of the construction and installation packages in the upcoming time as approved workplan.
Delegates attending the Meeting take photos
Concluding the Meeting, Mme. Malychanh Sananikhom, PCU Director requested PIC Team to accelerate the technical design progress for the remaining subprojects and finalize the bidding documents to serve for the bidding procedures of construction and installation packages according to the approved plan in the Quarterly Progress Report (Q3.2019) and ensure the project implementation as scheduled with high efficiency. It is expected that the first construction package for the Municipal Solidwaste Sub-project will be advertised on the bidding newspaper in January 2020.
PIC