VINACHEM

HA NOI — A delegation of sixteen Australian consulting firms will arrive tomorrow and remain in Ha Noi until Tuesday to explore possibilities to assist in infrastructure development in Viet Nam, the Australian embassy announced yesterday.

The companies, all consulting firms in such fields as energy, water resources, environmental management, education and training and healthcare, will meet here with officials from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, as well as Vietnamese ministries and the donor community to gather information about Viet Nam's development priorities and future projects.

"With an active development sector playing a key role in Viet Nam's continued transformation, this mission helps Australian companies further their understanding of future development strategies and project opportunities and introduces key stakeholders in Ha Noi to a large number of reputable, reliable project partners," said senior trade and investment commissioner to Viet Nam Tony Burchill.

The delegation is part of the Australian Trade Commission's Developing Viet Nam 2010 mission, an initiative formed in response to the growing interest of Australian companies in Viet Nam's development and the success of a similar initiative in the Philippines.

(Source: VNS)