The meeting focused on the progress of two key ongoing projects in the province.

The first project, titled “Multi-Disaster Management in the Nậm Rốm River Basin for Protecting Livelihoods, Adapting to Climate Change, and Socio-economic Development,” has made progress with construction underway on five out of seven contract packages.

However, work on package No.1 has been delayed due to land clearance issues, and package No.7, which involves dredging, will only begin once embankment construction is complete.

So far, the total disbursement for the 2024 capital plan exceeds VNĐ46 billion (US$1.86 million), representing 33.7 per cent of the allocated budget. Provincial authorities are urging construction units to accelerate progress in areas where land clearance and compensation have been finalised to ensure the full disbursement of the budget.

The second project, “Integrated Water Resource Management for Livelihoods, Climate Change Adaptation, and Socio-economic Development in Tuần Giáo District,” aims to mitigate drought, prevent erosion and flooding, and support Điện Biên Province’s adaptation to climate change. It also seeks to provide drinking water to 35,000 residents and irrigate 21,000 hectares of agricultural land. The Tuần Giáo District People's Committee has prepared a project proposal funded by an AFD loan, which was approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 836/QĐ-TTg on August 15, 2024.

During the meeting, the AFD delegation raised several key issues with the provincial leadership. For the "Multi-Disaster Management in the Nậm Rốm River Basin" project, they emphasised the importance of adhering to the construction timeline and urged Điện Biên to expedite compensation and land clearance efforts. Additionally, AFD recommended organising workshops, installing early warning systems for disaster risk, and providing training for local officials on new technologies.

Regarding the "Integrated Water Resource Management" project, AFD stressed the need to address environmental and social concerns and commended Tuần Giáo’s thorough preparation of investment documents.

Both sides also reached an agreement on the locations for installing information boards and guideposts along the Điện Biên Phủ historical tour route, as well as the placement of stone models and directional signs for the benefit of locals and tourists.

Speaking at the meeting, Đô proposed extending the completion date of the "Multi-Disaster Management in the Nậm Rốm River Basin" project to 2026 and requested the addition of lighting for A1 Bridge. For the "Integrated Water Resource Management" project, he urged AFD to collaborate with the province to finalise all necessary procedures by June 2025.

Điện Biên Province agreed with AFD on organising a workshop focused on early disaster risk warnings and considered AFD’s recommendations for managing and maintaining the lighting system on Mường Thanh Bridge. Additionally, the province plans to increase the number of guideposts at historical sites to around 200, aiming to attract more tourists.