Sida Evaluation 02/12 Strengthening the Capacity of the Office of the Vietnam National Assembly Göran Andersson Pär Granstedt Barbro Rönnmo Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa Department for Democracy and Social Development Strengthening the Capacity of the Office of the Vietnam National Assembly Göran Andersson Pär Granstedt Barbro Rönnmo Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa Sida Evaluation 02/12 Department for Democracy and Social Development This report is part of Sida Evaluation, a series comprising evaluations of Swedish development assistance. Sida’s other series concerned with evaluations, Sida Studies in Evaluation, concerns methodologically oriented studies commissioned by Sida. Both series are administered by the Department for Evaluation and Internal Audit, an independent department reporting directly to Sida’s Board of Directors. Reports may be ordered from: Infocenter, Sida S-105 25 Stockholm Telephone: (+46) (0)8 506 423 80 Telefax: (+46) (0)8 506 423 52 E-mail: [email protected], Reports are also available to download at: http://www.sida.se Authors: Göran Andersson, Pär Granstedt, Barbro Rönnmo, Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa. The views and interpretations expressed in this report are the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida. Sida Evaluation 02/12 Commissioned by Sida, Department for Democracy and Social Development Copyright: Sida and the authors Registration No.: 2001-2354 Date of Final Report: February 2002 Printed in Stockholm, Sweden 2002 ISBN 91-586-8711-4 ISSN 1401–0402 SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AGENCY Address: S-105 25 Stockholm, Sweden. Office: Sveavägen 20, Stockholm Telephone: +46 (0)8-698 50 00. Telefax: +46 (0)8-20 88 64 Telegram: sida stockholm. Postgiro: 1 56 34–9 E-mail: [email protected]. Homepage: http://www.sida.se Table of Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................... 1 Acronyms ...................................................................................................... 4 1 Introduction........................................................................................... 5 1.1 Project brief............................................................................................................5 1.2 Structure of the report............................................................................................5 2 Development Context............................................................................ 6 2.1 The reform process – Doi Moi...............................................................................6 2.2 Current reforms.....................................................................................................6 2.2.1 Economic reform....................................................................................................6 2.2.2 Administrative reform .............................................................................................7 2.2.3 Legal Reform.........................................................................................................7 2.2.4 Political developments.............................................................................................8 2.3 Organisation of the National Assembly ...............................................................10 2.3.1 The National Assembly ........................................................................................10 2.3.2 The Office of the National Assembly ......................................................................11 2.3.3 The National Assembly in the project context...........................................................12 3 Methodology and Approach ................................................................. 13 3.1 The scope and purpose of the study.....................................................................13 3.2 Target groups.......................................................................................................13 3.3 Description of approach and methodology..........................................................13 3.3.1 Document and literature review ..............................................................................13 3.3.2 Interviews ...........................................................................................................14 3.3.3 Field visit............................................................................................................14 3.3.4 Questionnaire ......................................................................................................14 3.3.5 Evaluation Criteria ..............................................................................................15 3.3.6 Participatory Approach.........................................................................................15 4 The Project......................................................................................... 16 4.1 Project History.....................................................................................................16 4.2 Project Activities...................................................................................................16 4.2.1 Immediate objective 1 ...........................................................................................17 4.2.2 Immediate objective 2 ...........................................................................................18 4.2.3 Immediate objective 3 ...........................................................................................19 4.2.4 Other activities.....................................................................................................19 4.3 Project organisation and mode of co-operation...................................................19 4.3.1 The agreements....................................................................................................19 4.3.2 ONA..................................................................................................................20 4.3.3 Riksdag Administration ........................................................................................20 4.3.4 Sida ...................................................................................................................20 4.3.5 Planning and follow up ........................................................................................21 4.3.6 Project Budget .....................................................................................................21 5 Findings .............................................................................................. 22 5.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................22 5.2 Project formulation...............................................................................................22 5.2.1 The project document.............................................................................................22 5.2 2 Needs assessment and baseline data ........................................................................23 5.3 Overall objective..................................................................................................23 5.4 Immediate objective 1: Improved professional skills of staff of ONA and some National Assembly deputies in supervision over law implementation. .......25 5.4.1 Developments in the area of supervision ...................................................................25 5.4.2 Project results.......................................................................................................26 5.5 Immediate objective 2: Improved public access to information about the National Assembly and its activities ...............................................................28 5.5.1 Developments in the area of public information.........................................................28 5.5.2 Project results.......................................................................................................29 5.6 Immediate objective 3: Improved research/library service .................................31 5.6.1 Developments in the area of research and library services ...........................................31 5.6.2 Project results.......................................................................................................31 5.7 Mode of co-operation and project management..................................................32 5.8 Results of questionnaire survey ............................................................................33 5.9 Other on-going projects .......................................................................................35 5.9.1 PIAP..................................................................................................................35 5.9.2 Danida ...............................................................................................................36 5.9.3 UNDP/Danish Trust Fund .................................................................................36 6 Overall assessment.............................................................................. 38 6.1 Overall project relevance .....................................................................................38 6.2 Results Analysis ....................................................................................................38 6.2.1 Overall objectives..................................................................................................38