NGO Resource Centre Newsletter March 15-31

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Dear MEMBERS and FRIENDS,

Welcome to the NGO Resource Centre Newsletter for March 15 - 31 March, 2008.

First off this week, we would like to welcome the two newly elected members to the NGO RC Steering Committee, Peter Newsum from CARE International in Vietnam and Daniel Valenghi from Helvetas in Vietnam. They will both take part in the quarterly NGO RC Steering Committee meeting held tomorrow. At the same time the NGO RC team would like thank you the two departing SC members, Jez Stoner from Save the Children UK, and Patrick Burke from AED, for their great contributions to the NGO RC and the Steering Committee over the past two and a half years.   

In other news, we would like to inform you that the World Bank (WB) has started to prepare for the Vietnam Development Report (VDR) 2009. This report will focus on the economic pillar of Vietnam's reform agenda (SEDP), following on last years VDR 2008, which focused on social inclusion. For the first time this year, the WB is asking for feedback on the draft outline of the report, which includes the issues of: Financing needs; Tax policy; Public investment; Debt and liabilities; Grassroots budgets; State capital; Capital markets; Banking reform; Access to credit; Private participation; Equitization; and International support. Please download the draft outline here. On Friday March 28 the World Bank will organise a meeting to discuss the draft outline, so if your organisation has any questions or comments in relation to the VDR please contact: [email protected].

The second round of Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC) 7 policy dialogue meetings the between donors, led by the World Bank, and government agencies has now been scheduled. These meetings are open to continued NGO participation, during the first round NGOs took part in policy meetings relating to legal development and disability issues. The meetings are scheduled between March 25 and 31, for more information on the PRSC process please write: [email protected]. The draft policy matrix an other related documents can be downloaded here.

There are two working group meetings coming up in March: the Microfinance Working Group will be held on March 26 from 8:00-16:00, La Thanh Hotel Doi Can, La Thanh Hotel; the Water Supply & Sanitation Working Group will be held on March 28 from 15:00 – 17:00 at NGO RC

See the Calendar section below for more details.