At a working session with the municipal leaders on March 2, ADB President Haruhiko Koroda said that HCM City is facing a lot of challenges during its rapid development and one of these challenges is climate change and sea level rise. 

Over the past time, ADB has helped HCM City in infrastructure development and climate change adaptability, including a project to build Metro Route No. 2, he said. 

Recently, the bank approved a US$1 billion loan for water supply and drainage projects in Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, he added. 

The municipal People’s Committee’s Chairman Le Hoang Quan said over recent years, ADB has provided a great deal of assistance to Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City commits to using its capital in the most effective manner. 

On the same day, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Hong Khanh heard relevant units to report on the implementation of a project to improve a road section on the right bank of To Lich River.

Funded by the Japanese government’s ODA loans, the project will help improve the environment and scenery along the two sides of To Lich River, strengthen the water drainage capacity for Hanoi and reduce traffic jams once completed in March 2011.