At the meeting, the two sides exchanged and discussed the project to improve urban infrastructure to respond to climate change in Son La City, the project uses ODA loans from the French Development Agency (AFD), approved by the Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 221/TTG-QHQT dated March 8, 2022, and approved the adjustment of the Project Proposal in Decision No. 1080/QD-TTg dated June 5, 2025; funded by the French Development Agency (AFD); Son La Provincial People's Committee is the governing body, and the investor is the Son La Provincial ODA Project Management Board.

The project aims to comprehensively solve the problems of flood prevention, urban drainage, improving the environment, air, treating wastewater and protecting the water environment of Son La city towards proactively responding to climate change and creating a premise for green, fast and sustainable urban development in the future; implementation period (expected) 04 years from the effective date of the Loan Agreement; total investment and capital structure (expected) 970.5 billion VND (equivalent to 35,239,700 EUR, equivalent to 41,938,550 USD).

Immediately after the project adjustment proposal was approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1080/QD-TTg dated June 6, 2025, the Project Management Board promptly organized the preparation of the Investment Policy adjustment, along with Submission No. 258/TTr-BQL dated June 10, 2025, on the adjustment of the Investment Policy for the Project to Improve Urban Infrastructure to Respond to Climate Change in Son La City. On June 12, 2025, the Department of Finance chaired the issuance of Official Dispatch No. 1803/STC-THQH on the request for comments on the adjustment of the Investment Policy for the Project to Improve Urban Infrastructure to Respond to Climate Change in Son La City.

The working group of the French Development Agency (AFD) highly appreciated the efforts of Son La province in implementing the projects. AFD is committed to continuing to accompany local authorities in implementing the project, etc.

Speaking at the Conference, Mr. Le Hong Minh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, sincerely thanked AFD for sponsoring the project. Son La province accepted the opinions of the working group and hoped that AFD would continue to support Son La in implementing the project. He affirmed that Son La province would create the best conditions for implementing the project in the area.

Recognizing the achievements, on this occasion, the Son La Provincial People's Committee awarded the Medal "For the cause of building and developing Son La province" to Mr. Herve Conan, Director of AFD Vietnam.

Diep Huong

Translated by Tuan Minh Dang