USAID/Vietnam Support for Trade Acceleration Plus (STAR PLUS) Final Report

The program was implemented from October 1, 2010, to August 31, 2013, with a contract value of $9.9 million. The program's primary objective was to improve Vietnam's trade agreements, economic governance, and macroeconomic policy. Effective trade agreement negotiation and implementation were key areas of focus. The program supported the development of Vietnam's trade capacity, enabling the country to meet existing trade agreement obligations and negotiate new trade agreements. The program also facilitated the implementation of trade agreements, including the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between Vietnam and the United States. The program's intermediate results (IRs) included effective trade agreement negotiation and implementation, competitive economic governance, and sound macroeconomic policy and financial sector regulation. The program achieved significant progress in these areas, with notable successes in improving Vietnam's trade capacity, enhancing economic governance, and promoting sound macroeconomic policy. One of the program's key achievements was the improvement of Vietnam's trade capacity. The program supported the development of Vietnam's trade agreements, including the BTA and BIT, and facilitated the implementation of these agreements. The program also provided technical assistance to Vietnam's customs authorities, resulting in improved customs performance ratings. The program also made significant progress in enhancing economic governance. The program supported the development of Vietnam's business regulations, including the improvement of executive branch organization, coordination, and policy coherence. The program also facilitated the development of Vietnam's judicial capacity, enabling the effective enforcement of commercial law and mitigation of disputes. In addition, the program promoted sound macroeconomic policy and financial sector regulation. The program supported the development of Vietnam's financial sector, including the improvement of financial institutions and the promotion of financial stability. The program also facilitated the development of Vietnam's monetary and fiscal policy, enabling the effective management of the country's economy. The program's monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework was designed to track progress against the program's intermediate results. The program collected data on various indicators, including the number of training days provided to executive branch personnel, the number of days of technical assistance provided to counterparts or stakeholders, and the number of initiatives that enhanced good governance. The program's M&E data showed significant progress in various areas, including the improvement of Vietnam's trade capacity, economic governance, and macroeconomic policy. The program's achievements were also reflected in the opinions of stakeholders, who rated the program highly in terms of its usefulness and effectiveness. Overall, the USAID/Vietnam Support for Trade Acceleration Plus (STAR PLUS) program made significant contributions to Vietnam's trade capacity, economic governance, and macroeconomic policy. The program's achievements were reflected in the improvement of Vietnam's trade capacity, the enhancement of economic governance, and the promotion of sound macroeconomic policy and financial sector regulation.