Serious violations found in Vietnam’s foreign ministry headquarters project

The inspection, led by Nguyen Manh Cuong, head of Bureau XI of the Government Inspectorate, concluded that despite being approved by the Prime Minister in 2007, the project has suffered over a decade of delays, repeated cost adjustments, and serious management failures that led to waste, inefficiency, and potential criminal violations.

Bureau XI, established in June this year, is the agency of inspection, settlement of complaints and denunciations in culture, sports, tourism, and foreign affairs.

Bidding irregularities, mismanagement

The inspection revealed that the architectural selection council had illegally lowered the minimum score from 70 to 60 points to include a previously disqualified firm.

A South Korean company scoring 68 points was chosen, while a German firm that scored 78.2, the highest, was eliminated.

The selected South Korean consultant lacked capacity, and subsequent violations during implementation caused significant financial waste.

The project’s consulting contract value of VND78 billion ($3 million) was found to be 14.9 times higher than equivalent domestic contracts.

The total investment was also inflated from VND3.48 trillion ($132 million) to VND6.99 trillion ($265 million), with over VND1.58 trillion ($60 million) of “special project costs” unjustified and lacking documentation.

Suspected criminal violations

The Inspectorate said it had transferred documents to the Ministry of Public Security for investigation into possible offenses, including violations of bidding regulations causing serious consequences, breaches of construction investment management rules, and misuse of state assets causing loss and waste, under the Penal Code.

Twenty construction packages worth over VND4.38 trillion ($167 million) were signed, which is VND904 billion ($34 million) more than the approved budget, violating the Prime Minister’s directives and investment management principles.

Improper approval of design and consultancy costs alone caused losses estimated at VND42.9 billion ($1.6 million), while violations in foreign consultancy hiring caused VND79.2 billion ($3 million) in further losses.

10 years of stagnation and waste

Started in August 2009, the eight-hectare project, comprising three main buildings, was designed to serve as the ministry’s official complex for ceremonies, international conferences, and offices.

Initially expected to be completed within four years, it has undergone four extensions and remains unfinished after 15 years.

The Inspectorate stated that responsibility rests with current and former ministers, deputy ministers overseeing the project, the project management board, and relevant units within the ministry’s Department of Administration and Finance.

“The violations are systematic, deliberate, and have persisted since the project’s inception, causing or risking extremely serious consequences that damage the ministry’s reputation,” the report said.

The Government Inspector General recommended that the Prime Minister order the Minister of Foreign Affairs to discipline responsible officials, conduct internal reviews, and cooperate with the State Audit Office to reassess total investment costs before final settlement.

The report has also been forwarded to the Central Inspection Commission for further review and disciplinary consideration.