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IrishAid in Vietnam
LATEST NEWS
We arenow calling for applications for Irish Aid IDEAS scholarship. Download moreinformation here (PDF 177kb) .
TheIreland-Vietnam Development Experience and Sharing (IDEAS) scholarshipprogramme is now accepting applications. Full details of the scholarshipprogramme are available at www.ucd.ie/vietnam
Ireland established diplomatic relationswith Vietnam in 1996 and opened an Embassy in Hanoi in 2005. Irish Aid’s engagement in Vietnam wasformalised into a first Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2007–2010 and a Memorandumof Understanding between the two governments in 2008.
The Vietnam Programme operates in a quiteunique environment for Irish Aid. It isonly the second Irish Aid Programme Country (PC) in Asia. As the second country strategy begins,Vietnam is graduating to Middle Income Country (MIC) status. This transition offers learning opportunitiesfor Irish Aid and its development partners.
Vietnam’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)doubled in the 1990s and economic growth has averaged 7% per annum over thepast 20 years. A dramatic reduction inpoverty occurred as a result, falling from 58% of the population in 1993 to14.5% in 2008, resulting in 34 million people being lifted out of poverty.
Nonetheless, persistent pockets of povertyremain. Data from the 2008 householdsurvey recorded 12.47 million people under the national poverty line and trendssuggest that poverty reduction is now slowing and inequality is rising. Poverty is particularly concentrated amongthe 53 ethnic minority groups who account for 14% of the total population but50% of the poor. They are mainlylocated in the North West and central highlands. Other determinants of poverty are disability,internal migration, gender, geographic isolation and unexploded ordinance.
The Vietnam context presents an excitingand dynamic development environment in which both economic growth and povertyreduction have shown remarkable results.
A number of key documents and agreements inform Irish Aid’s engagementin Vietnam since the beginning of its operations in 2006. The 2008-2018 Vietnam–IrelandMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) sets out a number of areas of co-operationand, together with the 2006-2010 GoV Socio Economic Development Plan (SEDP),provided a framework for the Irish Aid Country Strategy Paper (CSP)2007-2010. Irish Aid’s 2005 White Paperand internal policies on poverty, gender, governance & environment informedprogramming options.
IrishAid Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2007-2010
The 2007-2010 CSP had as its goal ‘to promote and support the equitablereduction of poverty and vulnerability in Vietnam’. Three objectives were agreed to contribute toachieving this goal:
- Strengthen the delivery of basic services and social protection measures to vulnerable people
- Promote economic and social transition and growth in the private sector
- Strengthen systems which enhance state accountability to citizens
The CSPcovered ten programme components which together addressed poverty, economicdevelopment, and governance priorities. Irish Aid -supported programmes wereimplemented through a variety of aid modalities, and combined a focus onnational dialogue with experimentation/learning at local level. A total of €70.85m has been disbursed byIrish Aid in Vietnam, of which €63.25 was programmed under the 2007-2010Country Strategy Paper. The followingtable summarises the key funding components.
Irish Aid is in the process of developing a newstrategy to align with government of Vietnam’s 2011-2015 Socio EconomicDevelopment Plan. During the five year period, Ireland seeks to make a solidcontribution to poverty reduction focussing on marginal populations andknowledge exchange.
Irish Aid Programme Components in Vietnam, 2005-10
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Programme Component
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Description
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Disbursement 2006-2010 (€m, rounded)
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Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC)
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Donor support for GoV reform, to assist Vietnam develops its economic policies and institutions. Actions under PRSC pillars (social inclusion, business development and modern governance, natural resources policy) contribute individually and collectively to achieving the five CSP objectives.
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€16m 2007-2010
€4.5m 2005-2006
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Programme 135, Phase II (P135-II)
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P135-II addresses CSP objectives and reinforces IA engagement with PRSC. P135-II specifically addresses needs of vulnerable ethnic minority (EM) groups, and aims to reduce poverty and promote economic growth. Managed and largely funded by GoV but supported by donors.
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€29m 2007-2010
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The Civil Society Facility (CSF)
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An Embassy-level support to civil society organisations whose work is compatible with CSP objectives. Also includes a Head of Mission Fund (HoMF) for one-off grants to selected organisations.
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€4.1m 2007-2010
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Irish Development Experience and Sharing; linkage between Ireland and Vietnam (IDEAS)
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A programme of bilateral scoping visits to promote exchange of knowledge and experience in macroeconomic governance. Coordinates technical assistance to GoV and shares lessons learnt from the Irish economic experience. Includes a scholarship component and an entrepreneurship training component.
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€0.85m 2007-2010
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Support for UN Reform
(‘One UN’)
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Irish Aid support to the Delivering as One UN reforms under UN System-Wide Coherence framework to ensure greater effectiveness and efficiency of UN operations in Vietnam.
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€3.2m 2007-2010
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Provincial Programme
(VOICE)
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Budget support to Bac Kan Province. Focus on basic service provision, small scale infrastructure and community/participatory planning.
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€1.7m 2007-2010
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Ireland-Vietnam Blood-Borne Virus Initiative (IVVI)
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A partnership between National Virus Reference Laboratory at University College Dublin and National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi to build institutional capacity in clinical and diagnostic virology. Co-funded by private organisation, Atlantic Philanthropies.
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€1.5m 2007-2010
€1.1m 2006
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Governance:
Towards Transparency
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
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Support to assist the establishment of a Transparency International presence in Vietnam to strengthen anti-corruption demand from society, public and private sector.
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€0.2m 2009-2010
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Irish Aid engagement in four projects managed by UNDP to strengthen institutional capacity in policy and law making and also in budget oversight and local government strengthening.
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€1.0m 2005-2006
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Business & Economic Development: Prosperity Initiative (PI)
Mekong Private Sector Development Facility (MPDF)
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Support through a not-for-profit organisation, Prosperity Initiative, to develop the bamboo industry in NW Vietnam.
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€0.9m 2009-2010
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Multi-donor funded initiative across Vietnam, Lao PDR and Cambodia to reduce poverty through advisory services for sustainable private sector development.
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€5.5m 2007-2010
€1.0m 2005-2006
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Process Budget
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Ad hoc support to workshops, processes, research, evaluation, learning and exploration of entry points for Irish Aid in Vietnam and in the region
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€0.3m 2007-2010
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IrishAid forms and guidance
CivilSociety
A CivilSociety Fund has been established in Embassy Hanoi to explore opportunities tofurther the CSP goals outside mainstream Government programmes. TheGovernment of Vietnam is more open than in the past to the involvement of NGOsin the development process.
CALL FORCONCEPT NOTES UNDER THE CIVIL SOCIETY FACILITY (PDF 52kb)
VIETNAMCIVIL SOCIETY FACILITY : Pre-Qualification Form A (PDF 208kb)
VietnamCivil Society Facility (CSF)/Guidelines for Applicant Organisations (PDF136kb)
IrishAid – Civil Society Facility / CONCEPT NOTE (PDF 101kb)
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