Illustrative image (Source: Internet)Hanoi (VNA) - Experiences of social economic development programme (SEDP)reforms from various donor funded programmes and projects in over 30 provincesacross Vietnam highlight that successful community-based planning using theSEDP process will not only create opportunities to improve the effectiveness ofpublic investment, but also strengthen the capacity of local communities andgovernment agencies at the local level, heard a policy dialogue.
Thepolicy dialogue, organised in Hanoi on January 17 by Oxfam, the InternationalFund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank, aimed to promotediscussions on opportunities, feasibilities, challenges and ways to integrateNational Target Programmes (NTPs) into SEDP at a commune level.
Thereare currently two NTPs focusing on sustainable poverty reduction and new ruraldevelopment.
Localplanning reforms at commune level increase opportunities for citizens andstakeholders to participate in planning meetings, Hoang Xuan Thanh, leader ofthe Oxfam advisory team, said.
Aprogramme named “Commune Planning Reform” under the framework of “Pro-poor policymonitoring and analysis” of 2014-16 funded by Irish Aid and the Swiss Agencyfor Development and Cooperation shows that commune-level planning reformsgradually improve the quality of annual planning and implementation.
Thereforms have been conducted in seven provinces, namely Lao Cai, Hoa Binh, NgheAn, Quang Tri, Dak Nong, Ninh Thuan and Tra Vinh.
“IntegratingNTPs into SEDP helps mobilising, distributing and using better sources,contributing to sustainable poverty reduction in Vietnam,” he said.
Thanksto the SEDP planning reform at all province, district, and commune levels insome provinces, proposals by lower levels are consolidated into plans by higherlevels, he said.
However,the integration faces several challenges, for example, the risks ofdeterioration of planning quality after funded projects end.
NguyenMinh Tien, chief of secretariat of the Central Co-ordinating Office forNew-style Rural Areas, said that Vietnam had enough legal foundations to expandlocal planning reforms to commune level.
"Whatthe communes are waiting for is an official instruction circular from theMinistry of Planning and Investment," Tien said.
"Withoutthe instruction, each locality has three plans - one on social economicdevelopment, one on national target programmes on sustainable povertyreduction, and another on national target programmes on new-style rural areadevelopment, and will not be able to implement the integration.
“TheNational Assembly has approved mid-term public investment resolutions, whichfacilitate localities in the implementation and integration of NTPs into SEDP,”he said.
However,he said, at the commune level, making plans rarely meets requirements onquality. The biggest challenge is localities’ capacity, in particular, theirconsultation and training capacity. Expenses on improving capacity andconsultation are very limited.
Themeeting agreed that it is necessary to have a legal framework from the centrallevel on planning and integrating NTPs, SEDP, and other projects.-VNA
Thepolicy dialogue, organised in Hanoi on January 17 by Oxfam, the InternationalFund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank, aimed to promotediscussions on opportunities, feasibilities, challenges and ways to integrateNational Target Programmes (NTPs) into SEDP at a commune level.
Thereare currently two NTPs focusing on sustainable poverty reduction and new ruraldevelopment.
Localplanning reforms at commune level increase opportunities for citizens andstakeholders to participate in planning meetings, Hoang Xuan Thanh, leader ofthe Oxfam advisory team, said.
Aprogramme named “Commune Planning Reform” under the framework of “Pro-poor policymonitoring and analysis” of 2014-16 funded by Irish Aid and the Swiss Agencyfor Development and Cooperation shows that commune-level planning reformsgradually improve the quality of annual planning and implementation.
Thereforms have been conducted in seven provinces, namely Lao Cai, Hoa Binh, NgheAn, Quang Tri, Dak Nong, Ninh Thuan and Tra Vinh.
“IntegratingNTPs into SEDP helps mobilising, distributing and using better sources,contributing to sustainable poverty reduction in Vietnam,” he said.
Thanksto the SEDP planning reform at all province, district, and commune levels insome provinces, proposals by lower levels are consolidated into plans by higherlevels, he said.
However,the integration faces several challenges, for example, the risks ofdeterioration of planning quality after funded projects end.
NguyenMinh Tien, chief of secretariat of the Central Co-ordinating Office forNew-style Rural Areas, said that Vietnam had enough legal foundations to expandlocal planning reforms to commune level.
"Whatthe communes are waiting for is an official instruction circular from theMinistry of Planning and Investment," Tien said.
"Withoutthe instruction, each locality has three plans - one on social economicdevelopment, one on national target programmes on sustainable povertyreduction, and another on national target programmes on new-style rural areadevelopment, and will not be able to implement the integration.
“TheNational Assembly has approved mid-term public investment resolutions, whichfacilitate localities in the implementation and integration of NTPs into SEDP,”he said.
However,he said, at the commune level, making plans rarely meets requirements onquality. The biggest challenge is localities’ capacity, in particular, theirconsultation and training capacity. Expenses on improving capacity andconsultation are very limited.
Themeeting agreed that it is necessary to have a legal framework from the centrallevel on planning and integrating NTPs, SEDP, and other projects.-VNA
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