Project News

Opening Remarks by Mr. Nhan

On November 24, 2010, the first Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting took place at the meeting room of Dien Bien Provincial People's Committee (PPC), to decide Annual Plan of Operation (APO) as well as to consult the result of the Pilot Site selection.

After the three month long preparation on a runway since the commencement of SUSFORM-NOW project on August 15, 2010, JCC meeting took place for taking off the Project. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Hoang Van Nhan, Vice Chairman of PPC, and participated by representatives of the relevant Vietnamese authorities, such as DOF-MARD (Directorate of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Department of Agricultural and Rural Development (DARD), Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Planning and Investment, Department of Finance, and Department of Science and Technology of Dien Bien Province, and People's Committees of the pilot sites, i.e. Dien Bien Phu City and Dien Bien and Dien Bien Dong Districts, as well as a representative of JICA Vietnam Office and JICA Experts of the Project. In total, 32 people attended the JCC meeting, which includes JICA Expert dispatched to DOF-MARD, officials from JICA Vietnam Office and the counterparts of SUSFORM-NOW project.

Ambience of 1st JCC meeting

After the opening remarks of Mr. Nhan and Mr Shimizu, Senior Representative of JICA Viet Nam Office, Mr. Ky, Project Manager of SUSFORM-NOW Project and Head of Sub-DOF (Sub-Department of Forestry, Dien Bien DARD), made presentation on introduction of the Project, results of the Project implementation in the first three months, and proposal of determination of the pilot sites, completion of the Project Design Matrix, and formulation of APO.

From the positive attitudes of the representatives of People's Committees of the City and the Districts, strongly explaining features and advantages of the each pilot site, all the participants could believe their active implementation of the Project activities fully utilizing the supports of the Project. Also, representatives from all the related organizations expressed their constructive opinions, so that we could understand that the Project can be implemented successfully with their full cooperation.

Presentation by Mr. Ky

The Project has already completed preparatory phase and we are starting the sustainable forest management now, as the abbreviation of the Project, "SUSFORM-NOW"! All the participants understood that the capacities of counterparts have been enhanced steadily through the substantial Project activities such as monthly meetings, study tours, etc. The successful results of the 1st JCC meeting confirm that the participants have fully understood and agreed with the contents of the project, and their willingness to cooperate with the Project actively from now on.