International relation activities in 2005

International relations by VBSP is further improved and strengthened in 2005. VBSP maintain close relationship with big international financial institutions such as: World Bank (WB), Asia Development Bank (ADB), International Foundation for Agricultural Development (IFAD)…; government organizations namely: the French Development Agency (AFD), the Danish Development Agency (DANIDA), Policy Research Institution (Finance Ministry of Japan); such embassies in Vietnam as: Australian Embassy, French Embassy…; associations: Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA)…; development and non-government organizations (INGO): World Vision, ADETEF (a French organization)…. VBSP also actively sent its staff to attend international conferences and workshops in Vietnam (the sixth Vietnam-France Local Cooperation Conference in June 2005…) and in other countries (Seminar with Development Partners held by APRACA in Italy in November 2005).

The year 2005 also marked international integration of VBSP by its joining APRACA (May 2005). It was the first ever event when VBSP became a member of an International Association. The event evidences that VBSP in general and its foreign affairs in particular have been fully grown, proactively and actively integrated into international financial community. VBSP also broadens the cooperation through study tours for experiences collection from alike credit institutions, VBSP sent two working delegations (including officials from the Headquarters and some selected branch directors) to the National Life Finance Corporation (NLFC) in February 2005 and People’s Bank of Brazil in May 2005. VBSP also held some workshops to give introduction on VBSP’s operation and experiences in lending to safe water and rural environment sanitation, lending to the poor to some international delegations during their working visit to VBSP: delegation of Indonesia’s Government (August 2005) and Bhutan delegation (October 2005).

For effective promulgation of VBSP, VBSP published brochure on VBSP, in supplement to information in English on website and 2004 annual report. English version on website updates individuals and organizations at home and abroad with active and regular information on VBSP. In this way, the international relations work by VBSP is upgraded further.  

Project management

International relations work made contribution to VBSP’s successful proposals for ODA to finance its charter capital supplement and some new projects.

Some projects in process in 2004 and during some years ago and some newly-signed projects make a sharp increase. New projects not only play role in the increase of funds but also the diversification of loan categories.

At the end of 2005, VBSP supervised and managed 14 projects and programmes in collaboration with international organizations valued at VND996 billion (counterpart funds is accounted for 5.33% of the total operating funds of VBSP), including such big projects as IFAD (SDR 2.66 million), OPEC (USD 10 million), the Forest Sector Development Project funded by the World Bank (SDR 22.6 million), the Medium and Small Enterprise Development Project (EUR 7 million). Details are as follows:

• 11 projects and programmes have been signed or be under implementation.
• 3 projects in the process of preparation (KfW project for account opening, IFAD project in Ha Giang-Quang Binh, OPEC 2).

Out of the above-mentioned projects:

• 2 technical assistance projects to VBSP (a technical assistance project in collaboration with Policy Research Institution under Japan’s Ministry of Finance, ASEM Trust Fund).
• 3 newly-signed agreements: the Forest Sector Development Project funded by the World Bank (with the total fund of SDR 22.6 million for on-lending, SDR 195,000 for 11 mobile-banking cars and over USD 269,000 for training); ASEM Trust Fund Project; KfW project for small and medium enterprises (EUR 7 million).
• Training courses for project implementation: in 2005, VBSP conducted some training courses for project implementation, namely: Start-up Conference and Training Courses for Forestry Sector Development Project (during September and October 2005); Start-up Conference and Training Courses for Forestry for Small and Medium Enterprise Development Project (in November 2005) to 10 projecting branches in Ho Chi Minh city.

The projects are now undertaken by VBSP and in collaboration with agencies concerned, ensuring the worked-out plan and objectives of each project.

The achievements in international relations and project management in 2005 played role in introducing and spreading VBSP’s image to domestic and international partners. In this way, VBSP can attract further support in various forms and broaden further cooperation opportunities in the future, making contribution to VBSP’s development in general.