Vietnam Committed to Corruption Fight, Says Deputy PM
Vietnam’s Consultative Group (CG) wrapped up its mid-term meeting in Nha Trang Friday after focusing discussions on the fight against corruption and effective use of official development assistance (ODA).
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem attended the meeting and pledged Vietnam would combat corruption. He spoke with Tuoi Tre newspaper after the meeting. Here are excerpts:
Reporter: What are the donors’ views on Vietnam’s management of ODA?
Pham Gia Khiem: While praising Vietnam’s efforts in recent years, donors also commented on shortfalls in administrative procedures, setting up systems, and fighting corruption. So far, we have done a good job in attracting investments but not in [managing] them.
Thus, changes in ODA management will focus on [managing] through tough provisions in the bidding and anti-corruption laws.
Reporter: Donors want to see action in fighting corruption rather than mere assurances. What does the government plan to do?
Pham Gia Khiem: The specific course of action is being finalized. I think we must simultaneously have political, economic, administrative, and educational measures. It will be hard to weed out corruption if we only focus on administration and neglect officials’ training.
Transparency is a key measure in fighting corruption. Vietnam concurs on this point in implementing ODA-funded projects and public spending.
Reporter: The government has set a target of obtaining ODA worth US$11 billion in the next five years. Do you think it is possible?
Pham Gia Khiem: I think the main challenge in using ODA is disbursing the money. At this conference, some expressed unhappiness regarding the process which is hampered by incompetent and unprofessional local officials. The Ministry of Planning and Investment wants to set up a university to train people in planning.
The sluggishness in ODA reimbursement is also because of inconsistent regulations on cost, which is at times based on Vietnamese norms and at others on international norms.
Reporter: Has our funds management improved following the PMU18 scandal?
Pham Gia Khiem: We are finalizing regulations to make the project executor also responsible for upkeep.
Source: Tuoi Tre, Thanh Nien News
