From 29 March 2022 to 08 April 2022, the Asian Management and Development Institute (AMDI) participated in the annual ADB Mission under the Fourth Greater Mekong Sub-region Corridor Towns Development Project (GMS4). This is the annual mission meeting to evaluate the project progress by the Asian Development Bank.

The Fourth Greater Mekong Sub-region Corridor Towns Development Project (GMS4) – Asian Development Bank (ADB) Grant has been implemented from 2019 with the aim to support the Government of Lao PDR in improving urban environmental services and enhancing regional economic connectivity in the two towns of Paksan and Thakhek located along the North-South Economic Corridor in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (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.

On 29 and 30 March 2022, the ADB mission for the GMS4 Project was held in both Bolikhamxay and Khammouane Provinces, Lao PDR. Attending the Mission Meeting, there were participations 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, Mr. Nalongxay Myvapadith, 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/Departments such as Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry/Department of Investment Planning, and Ministry of Finance. From the PIC team, Dr. Nguyen Dac Phuong – International Team Leader, Mr. Nguyen Kien Dung – International Environmental Safeguards Specialist and the local experts attended the Mission while the International Specialists participated in the ADB Mission virtually.

Delegates visited the Paksan Municipal Solid Waste Construction Site

Although the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has been extremely complicated during the past 3 years with limited international travels between Laos and Vietnam, the meetings/ training courses are not allowed to be conducted with many participants, and the cities were put on lockdown throughout the country, including 2 project provinces Bolikhamxay and Khammouane during the past three years… the project has obtained its positive results. Specifically, over the past 3 years, PIC Team has achieved nearly half of the planned progress for the entire 5 years. Especially, from the beginning of 2021 to date, 3 ICB package contracts including PS-CW03/LOT 1 & 2: Paksan and Thakhek Municipal Solid Waste Subproject and DR-CW01/LOT 1: Paksan Stormwater Drainage Subproject were awarded and under construction. Three other subprojects including DR-CW01/LOT 2: Thakhek Stormwater Drainage Subproject, RB-CW04/LOT 1: Paksan Riverbank Protection for San River Subproject and DWAT-CW02/LOT 2: Thakhek DEWATS Units Subproject have been under bid advertisement and evaluation. These 3 Subprojects’ contracts are expectedly to be awarded and to commence in Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 of 2022.

 Delegates visited the Paksan Municipal Solid Waste Construction Site

After the field visits in both Bolikhamxay and Khammouane Provinces on 29 and 30 March 2022, the ADB Mission meetings were held virtually between ADB, PCU and PIC Team on 4-5 April 2022 and 08 April 2022. At the online ADB Mission Meeting, Dr. Nguyen Dac Phuong – PIC International Team Leader reported the project implementation progress and the PIC’s International Specialists presented project activities 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 3 years although the COVID-19 Pandemic has been still extremely 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.

Participants attended the ADB Mission 2022 at the PCU Meeting room, Vientiane

Virtual Meeting of ADB Mission for the GMS4 Project

To wrap-up the mission, Mme. Malychanh Sananikhom, PCU Director highly appreciated the effort of PIC Team and expressed her belief that PIC Team would continue to accelerate the technical detailed engineering design completion for RB-CW04/LOT 2: Thakhek Riverbank Protection for Mekong River Subproject and TK-CW05: Thakhek Urban renewal, heritage conservation Subproject to ensure the project implementation as scheduled with high efficiency.