USAID STAR Plus Monthly Report, April 2012

In April 2012, the project facilitated a public hearing at the National Assembly, where the Minister of Transportation was summoned to testify on traffic-related issues. The proceedings were televised and covered by many newspapers, with ordinary citizens able to send text messages with questions for the National Assembly Committee Chairmen. The project also organized a workshop on negotiating and concluding free trade agreements, where former US Trade Representative Ambassador Susan Schwab presented on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). National Assembly members showed great interest in learning more about the TPP and expressed their commitment to supporting the agreement, citing its potential benefits for Vietnam in terms of economic gains and accelerated reforms. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) informed USAID STAR Plus that the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Finance met with them to discuss improving their performance on legal development and implementation to enhance their Ministerial Effectiveness Index (MEI) score. Both ministries sent formal requests to all reporting agencies to improve their MEI scores after VCCI reported the MEI results to the Prime Minister. A study tour by the Office of the Government (OOG) to the United States and Montana provided valuable insights into decentralization and transparency issues. The OOG delegation met with various US government agencies, including the USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia, the Canadian Embassy, and the National Security Council. They also met with the Mayor of Missoula, the Missoula County Commission, and Federal District Judge David Christenson. In the area of trade and investment, USAID STAR Plus supported the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) in conducting a survey of businesses and lawyers on the need to join the Vienna Convention on the International Sales of Goods (CISG). The project also facilitated a 3-day seminar on customs issues with senior Vietnamese officials and visited the Port of Hai Phong, one of the busiest in Vietnam. Furthermore, USAID STAR Plus conducted a successful 5-day training program on dairy risk assessment in Ba Vi, which was attended by approximately 40 people from various ministries, milk associations, dairy producers, importers, and research institutes. The training provided a comprehensive overview of the US system to ensure the safety of dairy products, including law and regulations governing dairy products, food safety dairy risk assessment, and Codex provisions. Additionally, Dr. Peter Petri of Brandeis University presented on the benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement, concluding that Vietnam would gain the most in percentage terms by 2025. USAID STAR Plus arranged for Dr. Petri to speak to over 350 persons from the Government and private business in eight separate events. The project also identified five highly respected experts to work with MOIT on high-priority research topics related to the Trans Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement, including labor and trade union issues, customs procedures, and intellectual property rights.