From July 5 to July 30, 2021, the Asian Institute of Management and Development participated in the Annual Review Meeting of the Mekong Subregion Corridor Urban Development Project Phase 4 ( GMS4). This is the annual meeting to evaluate the operation and implementation of the GMS4 project sponsored by Asia Bank.

The Mekong Subregion Regional Corridor Urban Development Project Phase 4 (GMS4) – A loan project from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been implemented since 2019 to support the Lao PDR government to improve its infrastructure. improve urban environmental services and strengthen regional economic connectivity in two towns located along the North-South Economic Corridor in the Greater Mekong Subregion (Paksan and Thakhek). The project implementation results will contribute to accelerating the development of urban nodes along the North-South Economic Corridor of the Mekong Sub-region in Lao PDR and promote the socio-economic development plan of Lao PDR. aimed at balancing regional and local development.

Asian Development and Management Institute (AMDI) - the leading unit of the AMDI-CONINCO-BMEC Consortium is the consultant to implement the Project (PIC Consulting) under the Consulting Service Contract No. CS-01 with 60 consulting month, signed on March 11, 2019.

In 2 days, July 6 and 7, 2021, the GMS4 project periodical review meeting was held in two provinces of Bolikhamxay and Khamouane, Laos. Attending the meeting, from the Lao PDR side, were Mr. Phitsamay Kongsadeth - Director of the Department of Transport and Public Works of Khammouane province, Mr. Vixay Phoumy - director of the Department of Transport and Public Works of Bolikhamxay province, Ms. Visaphone Inthilath, Deputy Director of the Department of Urban and Housing. Malychanh Sananikhom - Director of the GMS4 Project Management Board, along with all staff of the Central Project Management Unit (PCU), the Paksan and Thakhek Project Executive Committees (PIU), representatives of the units concerned, including: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance. On the side of the project implementation consultant, there were Mr. Sangvan Soukkaseum - Deputy Head of the domestic consulting team and the local experts of PIC Consultants;

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely complicated during the past 2 years, movement between the two countries Laos - Vietnam has been limited, unable to hold mass meetings, and blocked many provinces. cities throughout the country, including 2 project provinces during 2 April and 5/2021…but the project has also achieved encouraging results. Specifically, over the past 2 years, PIC Consultants has accomplished more than 1/3 of the workload of 5 years. Especially, at the beginning of 2021, the sub-project to build an urban solid waste treatment area in Paksan has been awarded the contract and is under construction. 03 other sub-projects including 02 sub-projects of Paksan - Thakhek rainwater drainage canal and 01 sub-project to build an urban solid waste treatment area in Thakhek are expected to be awarded the contract and commence construction in Q3 and Q3. Quarter 4 of 2021.

The delegation visited the Urban Solid Waste Treatment Project Construction Project in Paksan

After the field survey to periodically evaluate the GMS4 Project in the two project provinces of Bolikhamxay and Khammouane on July 6-7, 2021, July 26-30, 2021, the periodic evaluation meeting continued to be held directly. line between ADB, PMU and PIC consultant. At the online meeting, Mr. Nguyen Dac Phuong - Head of PIC Consulting Group presented an update on the project progress, PIC's international experts presented reports on issues of social safety, environment, recycling. settlement and gender. ADB highly appreciates the efforts made by PIC consultants during the past 2 years, although in the context of the complicated development of the COVID-19 pandemic, international experts were unable to travel to Laos to monitor and manage the situation. Management and implementation of the Project, all activities of the Project are effectively managed through regular and periodic online meetings between ADB, PCU and PIC.

Overview of the GMS4 periodic review online meeting with ADB

Concluding the meeting, Ms. Malychanh Sananikhom, Director of PCU highly appreciated the efforts of PIC Consultants and hoped that PIC Consultants would continue to accelerate the progress of completing the remaining subproject design to ensure that the Project is implemented. on schedule.