The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $80m loan to upgrade the road network in Vietnam.

The loan will be utilised to improve about 300km of unpaved and frequently impassable roads in six northern mountainous provinces that include Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai and Lao Cai.

Provincial people’s committees in the six provinces will implement the road upgrade project, which will receive a further $2.7m from the Nordic Development Fund to develop climate-proofing measures in the design of road rehabilitation works.

The project, which reserves half of the unskilled jobs for women, is expected to improve the connection between rural communities and national transport corridors after its expected completion by December 2016.