The World Bank planned to provide Vietnam with a US$1.3 to US$1.5 billion loan for the fiscal year 2009, the local newspaper Liberty Saigon reported on Thursday.

The plan was announced by the WB's newly-appointed country director in Vietnam, Victoria Kwakwa, while meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Wednesday.

WB is also considering additional commercial loans to Vietnam worth up to three to US$3.5 billion within the next three years, said the newspaper.

At the meeting, Vietnamese Prime Minister said that Vietnam would step up coordination with the WB to draw up projects to use the WB's funding, focusing on transport infrastructure, energy, human resources development and healthcare services.

(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2009)