Vietnam Deputy PM: Room for More Financing, ODA Loans to Focus on Major Projects
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Văn Thắng told the National Assembly on November 12 that Vietnam’s debt and borrowing indicators remain below approved limits. The government will assess ODA loan costs carefully and focus funds on a few major projects. Public investment disbursement reached 74% in the first 10 months of 2026.
On November 12, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Văn Thắng told a National Assembly question-and-answer session on financial matters that Vietnam’s public debt, external borrowing and government borrowing indicators were all below the limits approved by the legislature, leaving room to raise more funds. Given the substantial need for development financing, the government considers it necessary to continue mobilizing official development assistance and other resources, while carefully assessing loan terms and how effectively the funds will be used.
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Văn Thắng speaks at a National Assembly question-and-answer session.（VietVance）
On infrastructure financing, Nguyễn Văn Thắng said Vietnam’s public-private partnership projects are currently built mainly by businesses, which then recover their investment through operating and collecting fees, usually over about 20 years. Current rules allow the state to contribute about 50% of a project’s investment in most cases, rising to 70% in special cases. He said government contributions help improve projects’ financial viability and attract business participation.
Nguyễn Văn Thắng said the Ministry of Construction and Ministry of Finance were working on operating and management contracts. They expect to pilot auctions or tenders for the right to collect fees on some projects, including sections of the North-South Expressway. The arrangements remain at the planning stage.
On official development assistance loans, Nguyễn Văn Thắng said Vietnam no longer enjoys borrowing terms as favorable as those available in the past. The government will calculate borrowing costs, review conditions attached to construction and contractor selection, and concentrate loans on a small number of major projects with clearer benefits, avoiding the dispersal of funds.
Nguyễn Văn Thắng also said public investment disbursement reached 74% in the first 10 months of 2026. The government is working to complete the full-year disbursement plan and stresses that the funds must actually be used to build projects. He said meeting the full-year target is expected to contribute 1.7% to economic growth, supporting efforts to achieve the 2026 growth target of 10%.
Source: VietVance
