SWLC – Tailwind for inland waterways: multi-modal transport and economic growth in the Mekong Delta
IN BRIEF
The Southern Region Waterways and Transport Logistics Corridor (SWLC) Project keeps sailing forward with the collaboration of the Aus4Transport Program. The transport infrastructure initiative of the Government of Australia in Vietnam is contributing to the development of this key piece of infrastructure that aims to promote sustainable multi-modal transport and boost economic growth in the Mekong Delta.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is supporting this World Bank co-financed project with USD243,000. The funding and technical assistance provided by Aus4Transport will be dedicated to updating the Feasibility Study (FS) and the Environmental and Social Assessment Instruments (ESAI) and required documents necessary for Project approval.
KNOW MORE…
In the last couple of months, Aus4Transport has recruited and mobilised the two consulting firms that will be undertaking the tasks. Additionally, from 8 to 19 November, the Aus4Transport team and the Project Management Unit – Waterways (PMU-W) from the Ministry of Transport, together with the World Bank, held a comprehensive online mission to discuss details of implementation and ensure timely and successful progress of the activities.
However, measures in place to fight the spread of Covid-19 continue to pose several challenges for Aus4Transport activities. Covid-19 related travelling and gathering restrictions will require virtual remote participation of international support experts and call for the application of innovative approaches to public consultations, stakeholder engagement and surveying in the project provinces.
Aus4Transport, with its AUS30 million grant, continues to support the Government of Vietnam, this time by helping the Ministry of Transport to respond to the growing transport needs of the Mekong area, increase capacity and efficiency of waterways, reduce logistics costs and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
