Objectives 

Our research covers a wide range of topics concerning Vietnam's aid management and development partnership, as well as donor policies and aid practices. In doing so, we also assess global development trends and draw their implications for Vietnam. 

Our work has been conducted in close consultation with the Vietnamese government (both at the central and local levels), researchers, donor agencies active in Vietnam, and other stakeholders. 

Our latest research project is about "Good Donorship and the Choice of Aid Modalities- Matching Aid with Country Needs and Ownership."

News & Workshops

-- VDF 24th Workshop on 08 Dec., 2004; Minutes, PaperE (PDF377KB), SlidesE (PDF139KB),

Selected documents

• Fostering True Ownership in Vietnam (PDF164KB), Nov. 2004
• Linking Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction -The Role of Large-scale Infrastructure in the Context of CPRGS (PDF1.4MB), Nov. 2003
• Diversifying PRSP-the Vietnamese Model of Growth-Oriented Poverty Reduction (PDF182KB), Oct. 2002
• Japan's Development Cooperation in Vietnam (PDF320KB), May2002

Good Donorship and the Choice of Aid Modalities (ongoing) 
This research aims to: (i) examine criteria for considering an appropriate mix of aid modalities in the country- and sector-specific context; and (ii) draw implications for how donors can effectively assist in achieving sustainable growth and poverty reduction. It is hoped that the research outputs will serve as practical guide for recipient countries in choosing specific aid modalities and/or their combination, under country ownership. In addition to developing a general conceptual framework for modality choice, a case study will be conducted to examine the applicability of this framework for Vietnam's health sector.

Linking Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction
This paper clarifies the concept of "pro-poor growth" in the Vietnamese context and illustrates direct and indirect linkages of the role of large-scale infrastructure in promoting economic growth and poverty reduction. The paper provided intellectual inputs to the MPI work of the CPRGS (by adding a new chapter of large-scale infrastructure) in the latter half of 2003. Throughout the process, the GRIPS team made intensive consultations with the Vietnamese government, provincial authorities, researchers, donors actively involved in infrastructure development in Vietnam. Our paper was distributed at the CG meeting for Vietnam, held in Hanoi on December 2-3, 2003. (See our papers, English (PDF552KB), Japanese (PDF1.0MB)).

Diversifying PRSP
In this paper, Izumi Ohno classifies poor countries by (i) relationship with donors; (ii) presence or absence of a national development strategy and its quality; and (iii) causes of poverty, and then discusses how these differences should be reflected in the formulation and implementation of PRSP. The paper calls for greater flexibility in terms of its contents, modality, and procedures. In particular, the Vietnamese PRSP is presented as one possible model for a growth-oriented PRSP, driven by strong country ownership and aspiration for rapid growth. This is an updated version of the background paper for the workshops at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD held in Johannesburg during August 26-Septebmer 4, 2002). GRIPS Development forum created an information module, in which this paper serves as the main page (See our Information Module, Papers (PDF182KB)).

Related Links: 

• VDIC 
• WB (Vietnam) 
• WB (Povnet)
• UNDP (Vietnam)

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GRIPS Development Forum (GDF) conducts a range of studies on aid & development partnership, covering Asia and Africa. For GDF publications, please check the download page of GDF website.