During the 2021-2025 period, Son La has implemented five projects using ODA and preferential loans from the World Bank (WB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), along with ODA loans from the governments of Germany and Switzerland, and the French Development Agency (AFD), with total funding of 2.61 trillion VND (107.38 million USD).

Among the projects, the “Improved Land Governance and Database (VILG)” project was completed in June 2023, while the project to build the drainage and wastewater treatment system in Son La city, and the grassroots medical services supply sub-project in Son La province are underway.

Regarding the two projects whose investment plans have received the green light, covering rural development in adaptation to natural disasters in Son La province, and urban infrastructure improvement in response to climate change in Son La city, investors are completing procedures for investment decision approval.

Son La province is also working on another on enhancing key infrastructure facilities to drive its sustainable socio-economic development, with an investment capital of over 3.66 trillion VND (105.6 million USD), expected to be sourced from the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s loans.

The programmes and projects using ODA loans are yielding positive results, helping improve rural and urban infrastructure, spur economic restructuring, and stabilise and improve people’s material and spiritual lives.

The majority of the ODA and preferential loans target infrastructure in response to climate change and natural disasters, and transportation connectivity.

Effectively utilising ODA and preferential loans, Son La province prioritises projects that untie fundamental infrastructure knots in transportation, urban development, population, clean energy, renewable energy, climate change adaption, environment, education, health care, technology, and skills, thus contributing to promoting local socio-economic development./.