Hanoi, May 28:

A World Bank investigation into projects it funded at a troubled unit of Vietnam’s transportation ministry found numerous ‘irregularities’, but no direct evidence of official corruption, the bank announced at a press conference here today. The bank’s Department of Institutional Integrity conducted the audit of projects it had funded at the transportation ministry’s Project Management Unit 18 (PMU-18), after Vietnamese authorities uncovered widespread corruption among officials early last year.

The bank’s acting Vietnam director, Martin Ram-a, said that while the investigation had revealed ‘systemic weaknesses’, there was no evidence that PMU-18 officials had engaged in fraud or corruption.

“We will not declare mis-procurement, and will not request further investigation,” Rama said, “Although we reserve that possibility if problems arise in the future.”

The problems at PMU-18 came to light in January 2006, after the unit’s direct-or, Bui Tien Dung, was arr-ested for placing millions in illegal bets on European football matches.

The World Bank review examined almost $100 million in contracts at two ro-ad improvement projects the bank had funded.