Ireland established an Embassy in Hanoi in 2005. The Embassy is also accredited to Laos and Cambodia.
Vietnam has undergone rapid economic growth and social change as it becomes a competitive market economy. The poverty rate – measured as the percentage of people living below $1 a day – has declined from 58% in 1993 to 16% in 2006, and 34 million people have been lifted out of poverty. There has been a continued improvement in key human development indicators and Vietnam is well positioned to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Global integration has however also left Vietnam highly vulnerable to global shocks. As a result of a sudden drop in demand for goods from overseas markets, especially the US, accompanied by falling levels of Foreign Direct Investment and remittances, the IMF has listed Vietnam as one of the most vulnerable countries to the current global economic crises. Although Vietnam’s economic growth rate has exceeded 8% in the last two years and it is aiming for middle income country status by 2010, the impact of the global economic turndown is likely to see lower growth rates and slower progress towards middle income country status than anticipated in the coming years.
However, Vietnam faces significant challenges in ensuring that the benefits of growth are equitably distributed and in preventing significant growth in inequality.
The Irish Aid programme is intended to assist Vietnam in addressing those challenges. A Country Strategy Paper (CSP) setting out Irish Aid’s development strategy for Vietnam for 2007-2010 provides a budget of over €87 million. The focus of the Irish Aid work is on promoting poverty reduction and reducing inequality. It is designed to support the delivery of basic services and social protection to the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society; to promote inclusive economic development and the growth of the private sector; and to promote equality and increased state accountability to citizens. Hunger remains a serious issue amongst ethnic minorities in Vietnam. The P135, VOICE and components of the Civil Society programmes directly respond to hunger needs in Vietnam, accounting for more than 50% of the total budget.
Irish Aid Programme – Main Elements
Macroeconomic Support
A core element of the programme involves a continuation of support to the Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC), a multi-donor budget support mechanism. It involves support for the pro-poor elements of the Government’s national development plan. The PRSC is the main mechanism for donor cooperation and harmonisation.
Programme for Ethnic Minorities (P135)
Poverty reduction in ethnic minority areas is lagging behind that of other regions. The “Programme for Socio-economic Development” in communes faced with extreme difficulties, or Programme 135, is a poverty reduction programme targeting the poorest communes in ethnic minority areas. It promotes economic development through improved local production of food and cash crops.
Ireland is supporting the development of the private sector in the region. This is channelled mainly through the Mekong Private Sector Development Facility (MPDF) which provides technical assistance and advice to small and medium sized private sector companies, the main engine of job creation in the region, which are seeking to expand their businesses for export. During 2008, MPDF has developed its links with Ireland including exchange visits in the areas of tourism. A visit on business development is proposed for early 2009.
In response to requests from the Vietnam Government, Irish Aid is developing an initiative to explore how the lessons of Ireland’s economic and social development could be delivered as part of Irish Aid’s programme in South East Asia. Irish Aid has identified a range of options which are now under consideration, including the provision of Irish expertise in such areas as enterprise zone promotion, inward investment, and post-graduate business fellowships. The Programme is now referred to as the IDEAS initiative.
We are now calling for applications for Irish Aid IDEAS project Fellowship. Download more information about the project here (Word 31kb) .
Irish Aid, in conjunction with Atlantic Philanthropies, funds the Ireland-Vietnam Blood-Borne Virus Initiative (IVVI), which provides support in the area of disease prevention and control in Vietnam. It involves the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL) in UCD, the main diagnostic laboratory for viral diseases in Ireland, and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) in Hanoi. The goal is to enhance public health efforts in Vietnam to reduce the spread of four blood-borne viruses, including HIV and Hepatitis B+C, which are most prevalent among the poorest and most marginalised sectors of society. Two NIHE students have completed M.Sc. degrees in Clinical and Diagnostic Viroloy at UCD, and two more are at present pursuing M.Sc degrees in Molecular Virology with more to follow.
A Civil Society Fund has been established in Embassy Hanoi to explore opportunities to further the CSP goals outside mainstream Government programmes. The Government of Vietnam is more open than in the past to the involvement of NGOs in the development process.
CALL FOR CONCEPT NOTES UNDER THE CIVIL SOCIETY FACILITY (PDF
52kb)
VIETNAM CIVIL SOCIETY FACILITY : Pre-Qualification Form A (PDF
208kb)
Vietnam Civil Society Facility (CSF)/Guidelines for Applicant
Organisations (PDF 136kb)
Irish Aid – Civil Society Facility / CONCEPT NOTE (PDF 101kb)
“One UN” reform
In line with its support for UN reform, Ireland is supporting a pilot programme in Vietnam to streamline the work of the various UN agencies in the country. In 2008 all fourteen UN agencies in Vietnam combined their different programmes into a single “One Plan”, a major milestone in improved delivery of aid to Vietnam. Irish Aid funding goes to support UN core programmes while at the same time promoting reform and reducing duplication of mandates and activities.
Support is provided through a Fellowship Training Programme for candidates from our developing country partners (i.e. Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Timor Leste, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia) to further their education in Ireland or within their own region in areas relevant to Irish Aid programme objectives. The programme in Vietnam started in 2007 with the first two candidates participating in a Master Course Programme 2007-2008 in University College Dublin (UCD) and in Kimmage DSC followed by one candidate attending the Master Course Programme 2008-2009 in University College Dublin.
Fellowships are generally offered in areas which are particularly relevant to the development of the individual’s home country. Common areas of study are at postgraduate level (Master’s or Graduate Diploma) in courses such as Agricultural Sciences, Education, Public Health and Development Studies. Undergraduate programmes and Doctoral studies are not funded.
The applicant is normally in employment in his/her home country, obtains leave from his/her job for the period of study and upon completion of the study programme s/he would then resume employment, utilising their qualification to contribute to his/her country’s development.
A fellowship normally covers: return airfare, course fee, stipend to cover accommodation and subsistence costs, settling-in allowance (where appropriate), clothing allowance (where appropriate) and book allowance.
Applications are closed for the Annual Irish Aid Fellowship Trainning Programme (FTP) the dealine of which is end of December 2009.
However, we are now calling for applications for Irish Aid IDEAS project Fellowship. Download more information about the project here (Word 31kb) .
Action Aid, VSO Ireland, Royal College of Surgeons and De La Salle Brothers are active in Vietnam. The United Nations Volunteers programme enables Irish and non-Irish people to work as UN Volunteers on one or two-year assignments. Since 2006, funding of over €1.09m has been provided to these organisations under the Civil Society programmes.
Emergency support of €100,000 was provided in the aftermath of Typhoon Lekima in 2007.
Fellowships have been provided for 2 Vietnamese students for the year 2007/2008. One is currently pursuing a MSc. in Agriculture in UCD and the other, a MA in Development Studies in Kimmage Manor.
