The Environmental and Social Management Framework will be the basis to assess the financed subprojects
On March 10, 2015 the Ministry of Science and Technology and World Bank provided some feedback for the updated version of ESMF which applies to FIRST Project.
ESMF specifies the procedures and guidelines for assessing the potential environmental and social impacts of the financed subprojects. The procedures and instructions will help the implementing agency in screening the subprojects' eligibility, identifying their environmental and social impacts, determining the appropriate mitigating measures to be included in the subprojects' reports, and specifying the institutional responsibilities in the implementation of prevention, mitigation and compensation measures as well as monitoring and evaluation activities.
After a period of project implementation, the Central Project Management Unit (CPMU) together with environmental and social specialists from World Bank have updated, complemented and amended the Environmental and Social Management Framework to suit the project's practical situation.
Details of this revised version can be found at the website of FIRST Project and Ministry of Science and Technology via the following link: http://first-most.vn/vi-VN/hoi-thao-su-kien/thu-vien/tai-lieu-du-an_t122c30
With the approval of the Prime Minister, on July 23, 2013 the State Bank of Vietnam and World Bank signed the Financial Agreement for "Fostering Innovation through Research, Science and Technology - FIRST" Project. FIRST Project's total amount of funding is USD 110 million, including USD 100 million IDA fund from the World Bank to strengthen the capacity of Vietnam's national innovation system. Financed activities include: research and development; technology transfer; linkage with research institutes and universities to conduct technological innovation in enterprises. These activities belong to four priority sectors: machinery manufacturing and automation, biotechnology and agriculture, advanced materials, and information and communication technology (ICT). The provision of public goods such as meteorology, hydrology and environmental protection will also be considered for funding.