Following the recent global development trend, particularly since 1999, the Vietnamese government has been actively engaged in partnership activities as represented by the Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF) and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) which has developed into the "Comprehensive Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy (CPRGS)"--in addition to the conventional strategic planning. Over the last few years, based on the CDF/PRSP approach, more than twenty task forces have been established under the partnership platform, involving the government, donors, and NGOs. [see also Box: Japan's contribution to the partnership efforts in Vietnam].

The Poverty Working Group/Poverty Task Force (PWG/PTF) has played a central role in the preparation of CPRGS. They assisted analytical work and consultation process including: poverty assessment (Vietnam Attacking Poverty), the development of monitoring indicators (particularly, work related to localizing International Development Targets (IDTs) for poverty reduction and establishing "Vietnam Development Targets (VDTs)," and the organization of a series of regional workshops.

Such a nationally owned participatory process has been highly appreciated in the donor community and is regarded as "good practice" in the partnership experience.

The recent Joint Report of the Government-Donor-NGO Partnership Group cites as follows [World Bank et al. 2001]: "Vietnam was widely recognized in a major global review as putting almost all the principles of partnership into practice more effectively than other countries. This review also singled out Vietnam, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Bolivia, from a total of 46 countries, as having made particular progress in improving aid coordination and moving to a new approach."

Figure: Implementing the Comprehensive Development Framework - Results of a Cross Country Study

Source: World Bank (2001). Comprehensive Development Framework--Meeting the Promise-- Early Experience and Emerging Issues. CDF Secretariat, Washington, D.C.

References

World Bank et al. (2001). Putting Partnerships to Work in Vietnam, An Informal Report for the Consultative Group Meeting for Vietnam, Hanoi, December 7-8, 2001, Joint Report of the Government of Vietnam-Donor-NGO Partnership Group in Vietnam.