A Commercial Client - Position paper on liberalization of the wheat market in Vietnam - 2011

Project Description:

Completed a report containing an economic analysis to argue the need of complete tariff liberalization of  the wheat market in Vietnam. The study argued that reducing the import duty in 2011 was a first best policy choice than waiting until 2016. The study viewed both negative and positive effects of a duty reduction, and the particular circumstances of 2011 that made it attractive.

World Bank (Transaction Centre III) - The Third Rural Finance Project – Mid term Socio-economic Impact Assessment Review - 2011

Project Description:

The Development Objective of the Third Rural Finance Project (RF) was to increase economic benefits for rural private enterprises and households by improving their access to finance. The expected outcomes included:

(i) improved access to financial services for rural entrepreneurs

(ii) increased capital investment made by the rural entrepreneurs as well as increased employment

(iii) increased lending, particularly term lending to the rural private sector for capital investment by all participating financial institutions (PFIs) on market-based terms.

Mekong Economics accomplished the following work:

(i) On-desk reviewing secondary data and materials provided by PMU and PFIs

(ii) Conducting a survey of more than 500 end-borrowers to assess project socio-economic impact on end borrowers

(iii) Conducting in-depth interviews with more than 50 individuals representing the PFIs and other related agencies

(iv) Processing collected data, preparing and finalizing required report (draft and final report).

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - Short – Term Consultant for The Round Table Process (RTP) - 2011

Project Description:

The Round Table Process (RTP) was the national mechanism to promote constructive dialogue and cooperation between the Government and development partners for the achievement of national development goals including the MDGs and LDC graduation. To assist donors and Lao Government for the Annual Round Table Implementation Meeting in November 2011, MKE had:

• Provided an update and overview of Lao PDR’s key macro-economic and social development indicators, as well as challenges and outlook.

• Provided a brief overview and description of the 7th NSEDP 2011-215 recently formulated under the leadership of MPI, as well as examined updates in the development of social development factors in the context of the MDGs and progress towards targets set for 2015

• Took a look at the financing side for achieving the MDGs

• Provided an analysis of the enabling environment, including an update on the business environment, and a review and analysis of the target of LDC graduation for Lao PDR by 2020.

World Bank (Washington D.C) - Scaling up Hand-washing Behavior Change Project: Post intervention Data Collection and Analysis for the Impact Evaluation - 2011

Project Description:

MKE was assigned the task of conducting post-intervention data collection activity for an impact evaluation of the “Scaling up hand washing behaviour change” intervention, on behalf of Government of  Vietnam and Water and Sanitation Programme. Rigorous research methodologies were used, including a randomized impact evaluation design, and the collection of multiple survey measures using household and community questionnaires for more than 3,000 households in 310 communes in three provinces of Vietnam (Hung Yen, Thanh Hoa and Tien Giang). MKE accomplished the following main tasks:

·         Obtaining country-required permissions for implementing the post-intervention data collection as well as any project-required ethical review approvals.

·        Pre-testing new survey questions, pilot questionnaires and pilot the full survey and data collection

·        Organization and implementation of the surveys and the quality controls

UNCTAD - Case Study of the zone regime in Vietnam: How to upgrade and move beyond zone-based FDI - 2011

Project Description:

Completed a report on the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in Vietnam as a case study of best practices in how to upgrade and move beyond zone based FDI. Through desk research, direct interviews with experts and specialists in this field and available data, the report aimed to capture the aspects to success of the zone regime in Vietnam, and how Vietnam managed to progress to higher value-added FDI, and greater integration with the economy through the zone regime.

The main objective was to draw out the lessons learned and key zone policies implemented over time in Vietnam which would be useful information for a target audience of other governments and policy makers implementing zone regimes in their countries.

ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) - Services Diagnostics and Need Assessment Study - 2011

Countries Involved:

Vietnam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar and Brunei.

Project Description:

Mke conducted a cross country study visiting each participating country in order to conduct field work and collate research. Consultants then synthesized all research done into a series of country reports which together made up the SDNAS. Apart from this, MKE organized the two ‘sandwich workshops’ in Hanoi and Jakarta. The project was a manifestation of the overall movement of ASEAN towards encouraging the development of service-based trade economies, as part of its general objective to promote economic growth through liberalization.

Irish Aid (Irish Embassy in Hanoi) - Review of the Irish Development Experience Sharing Programme (IDEAS Programme) - 2011

Project Description:

Carried out a review of Irish Aid’s IDEAS programme which provided Master degree scholarships and support to Economic Management and Governance. This involved a survey of the partners organizations in Vietnam to ascertain the satisfactions levels of the exchange programmes to date; Drawing up a report for the Steering Committee; input to the development of the new Irish Country Strategy Paper with the international consultant; and presenting the findings to the Irish Aid, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance, VCCI and other government agencies.

Tech4Dev & IDC SA - Activity–based financial flows in UN system: A study of select UN organisations - 2011

Project Description:

Provided technical and logistical support, including setting up meetings for IDC consultant prior and during his trip to Vietnam. The process of set up meetings was performed via phone, fax, email and other kinds of correspondence. Partners for those meetings include local representatives of the UN agencies, key donors as well as government ministries and non-government organizations implementing UN-funded programmes.

POSCIS Secretariat & the Government Inspectorate - Chief Technical Adviser to the Program on Strengthening Comprehensive Capacity of the Inspectorate System - 2011

Project Description:

The objective of the Program on Strengthening the Comprehensive Capacity of Inspectorate Sector towards 2014 (POSCIS) was to build the ethical, strong, professional and modern inspectorate system capable of good performance of tasks as provided by laws in the areas of inspection, complaint and denunciation settlement, and anti-corruption.

MKE provided a Chief Technical Advisor who undertook the functions of support the management, coordination and provision of technical leadership to enhance the capacity of the Inspectorate system as well as to provide policy advice on strengthening the capacity of the inspectorate system, especially in prevention and suppression of corruption.

The World Bank - Urbanization Review: Financing Basic Services and Infrastructure - 2010

Project Description:

The Vietnam Urbanization Review was part of a series of prototypes under a global product called the Urbanization Review, being developed by the Finance, Economics, and Urban Development Department of the World Bank. The objective was to provide diagnostic tools to inform policy dialogues and investment priorities on urbanization by operationalizing the frameworks for urbanization policies developed in World Development Report (2009) – Reshaping Economic Geography and the Bank‘s new Urban and Local Government Strategy System of Cities: Harnessing Urbanization for Growth and Poverty Reduction.

To test the relevance and flexibility of the core diagnostic tools across countries at incipient, intermediate, and advanced stages of urbanization, prototype pilots were being initiated in India (incipient), Indonesia, China, and Vietnam (intermediate), and Colombia (advanced). MKE prepared report on the provision of local services and identify the main bottlenecks to achieving universal coverage of high quality services. The focus was on water, sanitation, electricity and road. MKE also developed data tables that covered all relevant variables.