The Management Board of the Da Nang Priority Infrastructure Investment Project (PIIP) recently announced that the feasibility report and design for the pilot Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) pilot corridor, an integrated public transport system, had been forwarded to the city People’s Committee for approval.

Geo-Data Engineering has a great interest in the urban transport system of Da Nang and wants to become involved in the implementation of the city's metro project. This was announced by Mr Giuseppe Astore, Technical Director of the Bangalore Office of Geo-Data Engineering Group, during a recent meeting with the Vice Chairman of Da Nang People’s Committee, Mr Nguyen Ngoc Tuan.

This news was announced at a seminar held recently in the city which was entitled “Republic of Korea and Da Nang Enterprises in 2012”. The seminar was co-hosted by the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Viet Nam (KCCI) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Viet Nam – Da Nang Branch (VCCI). It was part of the ongoing activities to mark the 20th anniversary (22 December 1992 to 22 December 2012) of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

Since the beginning of this year, Da Nang People’s Committee has granted investment certificates to 24 new foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, together worth a total of over 107 million USD. 12 existing peojects have increased their capital by a total of over 45 million USD.

On 3 December, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) cooperated with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Da Nang’s Dong A University to launch the first course of an IT training programme (ITTP) for disabled people from Da Nang and some other provinces and cities in the central region of Viet Nam.

On 12 December, the Da Nang Department of Transport held a ceremony to celebrate the official joining of Khue Dong Bridge and the technical opening of the extended Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, both parts of the Da Nang Priority Infrastructure Investment Project (PIIP).

On 21 January, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee, Mr Phung Tan Viet, met with the IFC (International Finance Corporation) Programme Manager for Advisory Services for PPPs (public–private partnership) in East Asia and the Pacific Region, Mr Edgar Saravia.

On 2 November the Da Nang Department of Information and Communications, and the Management Board of the Da Nang IT and Communications Development Project, officially announced the implementation of a public wi-fi access network project for Da Nang. The project will involve the investment of over 1 million USD, financed by the World Bank.

Vietnam Airlines recently reported that it will open an air service connecting Da Nang with Vinh (Nghe An Province), starting from today (28 October), to meet increasing passenger demand. Four return flights per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, utilising 68-seat ATR72 aircraft, are scheduled on the route.

As part of his “Taste of Viet Nam” journey to discover Vietnamese cuisine, celebrity Asian chef Martin Yan visited the Marble Mountains and the Da Nang beaches on 28 November. The host of the award-winning cooking show Yan Can Cook was accompanied by TV Channel HTV9’s production crew and HCMC-based Dien Quan Mass Media Company.