Publications
Summary
Research report: This report examines the Vietnamese decentralisation experiences from a comparative point of view.
Description
Author: Adam Fforde and Associates Pty Ltd
This report deals with aspects of decentralisation in Vietnam. It examines the Vietnamese decentralisation experiences from a comparative point of view.
The report identifies five structural constraints emerging in the 1990s:
- The lack of a legal framework for the division of tasks between central and local government units and among local government units themselves
- Legal authority relations in practice, particularly problems with both vertical and horizontal authority relations
- Potential problems in planning and management
- Inappropriate systems for fiscal decentralisation
- Capacity of local officials.
The report highlights the fact that decentralisation processes vary locally. Its analysis is based on a detailed preliminary examination of decentralisation in the area of rural service delivery in Quang Ngai and Long An provinces (Central and Mekong Delta regions respectively). Quang Ngai and Long An represent two different models of decentralisation in Vietnam.
The implications of this analysis for aid cover two broad areas. First, that the main constraints upon decentralisation that can be addressed through aid are mainly related with training and knowledge development (which can include learning through practice). Second, that aid project design and preparation must take into account the variation in local conditions within Vietnam's national framework.
Available: Electronic version only
This report was commissioned by AusAID. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of AusAID or the Australian Government.
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