Wrap-up meeting between Halcom Vietnam and Department of Irrigation – Lao MAF on progress-based fieldwork under the consulting contract "External/Independent monitoring of social safety policy"

halcom
21/02/2023

On February 11, 2023, the consultant team of Halcom Vietnam Joint Stock Company had held a meeting with the Department of Irrigation – Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, to finalize the second mission of the contract “Independent social safeguard monitoring”, under the project “Sustainable Rural Infrastructure and Watershed Management Sector Project”, granted by ADB to Lao PDR.

Wrap-up meeting for the second mission between Halcom, Project Management Board and Loan Implementation Consultants of the Department of Irrigation, Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, Vice Chairman of Halcom’s BOD (second from left) met Mr. Bounkham Sydavong, Director General of the Department of Irrigation (second from right)

“Sustainable Rural Infrastructure and Watershed Management Sector Project”, funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB), aims to modernize 18 irrigation works in four poor mountainous provinces of Luang Prabang, Xayabouly, Xieng Khoang and Hua Phan, Northern Lao PDR. In accordance with the contract, Halcom would provide independent monitoring service for social safeguards during the period of 5 years (September 2021 – September 2026). The project, once completed, will drive market-oriented agricultural production, secure sustainable natural resource management, ensure food security, improve land use management as well as protect watershed ecosystems.

At the meeting with Halcom’s delegation represented by Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, Vice Chairman of the BOD, together with the consultant team, the Department of Irrigation – Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (the Executing Agency) highly appreciated the quality of Halcom’s consulting services during the past year, also discussed and agreed on the upcoming implementation plan according to the executed contract.

Halcom representatives visited experts in water supply, sanitation and environmental safeguards in Laos

As of February 1, 2023, Halcom’s consultant team has conducted field surveys in 4 project provinces, worked with local authorities as well as interviewed potential affected households, in order to monitor the implementation of land acquisition and resettlement plans (LARPs) of 4 subprojects in batch 1. In addition, the team also reviewed the status progress on the preparation of 8 subproject LARPs in batch 2 for the last 6 months of 2022. The fieldwork and due diligence report are expected to be consummated on March 12, 2023.

Pictures of the Halcom’s independent monitoring team (IM team) during the field survey within the mission scope of work in February 2023:

IM team visited Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office of Hua Phan

IM team interviewed affected households in Nam Ham subproject, Hua Phan

IM team visited the subproject site in Nam Tong, Xieng Khoang

IM team visited the subproject site in Nam Nan, Luang Prabang

IM team visited the impact area of Nam Piew subproject, Xieng Khoang

IM team worked with contractors and village authorities in Nam Phieng, Xayabouly

The above consulting contract has marked Halcom’s first footstep in Southeast Asian consulting market. As one of the top-notch local enterprises in sustainable infrastructure consultancy, including environmental, social safeguards and public awareness communication, Halcom affirms its competency to offer almost all types of consulting services for the entire project cycle, from project formulation to feasibility study, detailed design, contract management and construction supervision. This is evident through more than 300 consulting contracts for urban and infrastructure development ODA projects granted by WB, ADB, Finland, Japan, etc. as well as the State budget across 63 provinces in Vietnam.

Project description: Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Sustainable Rural Infrastructure and Watershed Management Sector Project