The World Bank (WB)’s Board of Executive Directors on June 11 approved a US$194.36 million credit to help four secondary cities in Vietnam build critically-needed municipal infrastructure and strengthen urban planning.The Dynamic Cities Integrated Development Project aims to increase access to improved urban services in four urban centers of Ky Anh (Ha Tinh province), Tinh Gia (Thanh Hoa province), Hai Duong (Hai Duong province), and Yen Bai (Yen Bai province).
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The project will help reduce flood risks, improve sanitation, reduce travel times on new and improved roads, and develop high-quality public spaces.
The project will also improve connectivity to industrial parks, export processing zones, commercial establishments, and tourist attractions, benefiting workers and merchants as well as visitors.
These improvements in turn are expected to help boost productivity, enable exports, create more jobs, and help generate sustained economic growth.
“Secondary cities are set to play an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s growth poles through efficient movement of goods, people, services, and information.” said Ousmane Dione, WB country director for Vietnam.
“These four selected cities have demonstrated significant potential to become dynamic economic hubs at the provincial and regional levels. This operation would help to fill the infrastructure gap by providing much-needed financing to deliver quality services with lessons and best practices gained from World Bank engagements in other cities around the world,” Ousmane Dione added.
The total cost of the project is US$276.17 million, of which US$194.36 million comes from International Development Association (IDA).
