The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a project to significantly strengthen flood protection and transport connectivity in Viet Nam’s central Da Nang City and Gia Lai Province. The investment, supported by a loan of nearly US$145 million, aims to provide more than 1.2 million people with better flood protection, safer evacuation routes, and more dependable access to essential markets and services.
The Integrated Resilient Development Project targets two of Viet Nam’s economically important regions—a fast-growing coastal hub and a highlands corridor—to reduce disruptions caused by severe storms and flooding. The project is specifically designed to safeguard essential services and ensure year-round access to key economic corridors, which will lower costs for businesses and households while improving logistics efficiency.
Protecting Communities and Economic Corridors
The project is aligned with Viet Nam’s national strategies on disaster risk management and sustainable infrastructure, focusing on adaptation to the increasing frequency and intensity of severe weather events.
Mariam J. Sherman, World Bank Division Director for Viet Nam, Cambodia and Lao PDR, said: “Given the impacts of severe weather events, Viet Nam’s infrastructure really needs to be adapted for flooding and coastal resilience. This project focuses on keeping communities safe, promoting economic connections, and empowering provinces to manage infrastructure that creates more jobs and fosters sustainable lasting growth.”
Key actions to be implemented under the project include:
- In Da Nang City: The project will restore river channels and construct a flood bypass canal to reduce inundation in densely populated districts, protecting critical infrastructure like schools and hospitals.
- In Gia Lai Province: Key roads and bridges will be raised and reinforced to ensure year-round access from the Central Highlands to Quy Nhon Port, a vital outlet for the region’s agricultural and industrial goods.
More reliable connectivity to ports and urban centres is expected to reinforce the conditions for private investment and support job creation across the agriculture, trade, and services sectors, while also opening new opportunities for tourism and local enterprises.
