Japan assists Vietnam in managing construction projects

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Vietnam’s Construction Ministry co-organized a training workshop on management of construction projects in HCMC on June 22 as part of a technical assistance program by Japan to help Vietnam improve construction quality and better control costs.

The training workshop within the project titled “Capacity Enhancement in Cost Estimation, Contract Management, Quality and Safety in Construction Investment Projects in Vietnam” is intended to review the outcomes of construction projects and discuss focal points relating to Vietnam’s law and regulations on construction. Attending the seminar were representatives from relevant agencies in both central and provincial levels, project management units, as well as contractors and consultants.

The JICA-funded project, set up by Vietnamese and Japanese experts, is aimed to enhance the capacity of staff and related organizations under the Construction Ministry directly involved in construction projects.

The ultimate goal is that local construction projects are run in line with international standards and regulations on managing public construction projects.

The workshop focused on contractor capacity evaluation and contract management. These main outputs are expected to help improve the monitoring of State-funded projects and their effectiveness as a result.

Vietnam has carried out a large number of major infrastructure projects in recent years. However, many construction accidents have been recorded, due to insufficient project management, and poor quality and safety management of construction works.

Besides, construction contracts have been insufficiently managed, leading to disputes which have obstructed the smooth execution of projects.

Therefore, the Vietnamese Government had requested JICA to provide assistance via the project in a bid to address the issue. The project kicked off in April 2015, and is scheduled to run until next March.

Source: The Saigon Times