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EA and SA for local agenda 21

Within framework of the IUCN – MPI project activities, in August and September 2007, VCED’s Local SD expert delivered presentations on Environmental and Social Assessment Tools for Provincial Strategic Review serving for formulating Provincial Sustainable Development in Yen Bai and Ca Mau Provinces.

VCED’s representative at the “Shared Learning and Review Workshop of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of the Republic of Korea”

Within framework of the above mentioned workshop co-organized by Presidential Commission on Sustainable Development (PCSD) of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and United Nations Division for Sustainable Development, a VCED’s representative has attended this workshop in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 12 to 16 March 2007.

1. Participants are invited from Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

2. The workshop consisted of presentations of representatives from visiting countries on development and implementation of National Agenda 21, presentations by representatives of PCSD of RoK on progress, contents, M&E and outcomes of National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD) of RoK and reviews by UN consultants.

3. The peer review section by representatives from visiting countries on development and implementation against NSSD of RoK with notes on observations and recommendations for sharing experiences and lessons learned from development and implementation process among participating countries.

Study Tour in Sectoral Programming for Uzbekistan Delegation to Vietnam from 25^th February to 3^rd March 2007

Within framework of the National Coordinating Units (NCU) project activities, based on the signed contract between NCU and the Vietnamese National Expert Group (VNE) from VCED, a Study Tour in Sectoral Programming by Uzbekistan delegation including 07 members from National Coordinating Units to Vietnam has been organized from 25^th February to 03^rd March 2007.

The VNE has organized 10 meetings with involvement of resource persons who have expertise and needed qualifications in the field of budget support, programme’s based approach, sector wipe approach etc including sectoral programming in rural development and education sectors, Hanoi Core Statement which is localized from Paris Declaration and New Aid Modalities. The delegation also visited a project site under Program 135 in Hoa Binh where received budget support from DFID.

Approval of Soc Trang Provincial Sustainable Development Program Document, Date: 10 November 2006

After the period of having intensively prepared and cooperated closely and efficiently with Company VCED, on 10^th November 2006, in Soc Trang Provincial People’s Committee Office, it held a meeting of Steering Committee of Soc Trang Provincial Sustainable Development Program in order to officially approve Soc Trang Provincial Sustainable Development Program Document.

The meeting was chaired by Mr Nguyen Duy Tan, Vice Standing Chairman of Provincial People’s Committee – Head of Program Steering Committee with participation of members of Program Steering Committee such as Director and Deputy Director of Departments, Divisions, sub-divisions and mass organizations and Chairman, Vice Chairmen of District, Communal People’s Committees of Soc Trang Province.

According to presentation of Task Force Leader, preparation with consultancy from the VCED Company, the contents of Soc Trang Provincial Sustainable Development Program consist of three main parts: 1) Real situation of sustainable development in Soc Trang province; 2) Provincial Sustainable Development Orientation till 2010 and vision to 2020; and 3) Implementation Measures and Target Programs.

The leading viewpoints in Soc Trang Provincial Sustainable Development Program are: i) Sustainable, Efficient and Fast Development; Economic growth in parallel with realization of progress, social equity and environmental protection; ii) Socio-Economic development closely aligned with environmental protection and improvement, to ensure harmonization between artificial environment and natural environment, maintain bio-diversification.

Sustainable Development Targeted Program of Soc Trang province includes 14 programs as follows:

1. Clean Industrial Development Program

2. Rural Modernization and Agricultural Development Program

3. Sustainable Fishery Development Program

4. International Economic Actively Integrating and Investment Cooperation Promoting Program

5. Tourism - Commerce - Cultural Development Program

6. Urban Upgrading and Development Program

7. Socio-Economic Infrastructure Development Program

8. Human Resources Quality Improving and Education and Training Development Program

9. Natural Resources Sustainably Utilizing and Exploiting, Cooperating Program

10. Science and Technology Development Program

11. Waste Treatment and Environmental Protection Program

12. Poverty Reduction associated with Social Equality and Gender Equity Program

13. Health services Comprehensive Development Program

14. Information and Technology Development Program.

Support for formulating Local Agenda 21 in SocTrang: after the outline of the Sustainable Development Program of Soc Trang Province approved by Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, on 01^st November 2006 the Department of Planning and Investment took the lead to organize community consultative meeting to collect comments on Draft Sustainable Development Program of Soc Trang Province.

The consultative activities were conducted in 02 districts, particularly Vinh Chau district (Vinh Chau commune and Vinh Chau town) and My Tu district (Huynh Huu Nghia town and An Hiep commune). The consultative activities were conducted by Vietnam Consultancy for Development and Environment Company in cooperation with representatives of the Provincial Steering Committee of Sustainable Development and Assistant Team.

Apart from participation of Task Force of the province, Reporter Team from Vietnam Television (VTV) and Voice of Vietnam also recorded the whole consultative tour as well as introduced sustainable production models of some selected typical communes.
Consulted Target groups: representatives of the Provincial People’s Council, the Provincial People’s Committee, staff of some divisions, subdivisions and organizations at the district and communal levels, and particularly local people and some staff at the hamlet level.
Consulted contents: issues prioritized and contents of the sustainable development strategy of the province.
After one consultative day, with positive participation of the districts, communes and especially warm response of local people, Task Force in these two districts gained satisfactory results.

Designed and conducted baseline study on awareness of Hanoi population on air quality issues within the framework of the Swiss-Vietnamese Clean Air Program (SVCAP):

"A baseline survey conducted by VCED during fall 2005, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the purpose of the survey was to assess the current levels of awareness of SVCAP's potential target groups. This serves as the base for subsequent development of awareness concepts and planning during 2005-2007. Results are based on the following:

1. 25 in-depth interviews with environmental policymakers and program managers at central government and Hanoi levels.

2. 10 focus group discussions with a broad range of stakeholders for "air pollution".

3. 1,500 questionnaires completed by respondents (minimum 18 years age) from one rural and eight urban districts of Hanoi .

The data analysis using Software: EpiInfo and SPSS has proved that: "More than 98% of household respondents thought air quality in Hanoi was deteriorating, with 56.3% said the air is "rather polluted" and 9.7% said it is "heavily polluted". Among young population (students), more than 97% believe air quality in Hanoi was degrading, of which 60.6% and 7.5% considered the air is "rather polluted" and "heavily polluted" respectively;..."

Promotion of Sustainable Development in the Context of Regional Economic Integration Strategies - for Environmental Sustainability and Poverty Reduction (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies)

Procurement Risk Assessment for P135 II subcontract awarded by Culpin Planning Ltd. within the Consultancy Services for Program Readiness Poor Communes Livelihoods and Infrastructure Program (P-CLIP).