Germany Pledges EUR113.5M in ODA for Vietnam This Year

Germany has pledged to provide EUR50 million ($58.8 million) in official development assistance (ODA) loans and another EUR 63.559 million EUR in grants for 14 technical assistance and investment projects in Vietnam this year, local media reported. The German side made the commitment during a recent virtual governmental-level meeting on the Vietnam - Germany development cooperation in 2021 on July 23. Of the sum, a EUR15 million grant will be funneled to a project on building a center for epidemic prediction and management proposed by the Ministry of Health as an emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The German side said that they have considered Vietnam as a “global partner” in development cooperation under the new BMZ 2030 strategy, hoping to deepen bilateral cooperation with Vietnam in climate change, environmental protection, and global economic recovery. The two sides agreed to prioritize ODA projects in the three sectors, namely (i) energy, (ii) vocational training, and (iii) environment. The German side also consented to increase health cooperation with Vietnam to cope with the pandemic. (VietnamPlus VN, Bao Tin Tuc)