Providing monitoring, evaluation and learning support in Vietnam

Australia and Vietnam’s partnership extends across political, security, economic, development and people-to-people activities.

Vietnam is one of Australia’s fastest-growing trade partners and key to regional prosperity, security, and stability. Bilateral ties have strengthened since diplomatic relations were established in 1973, with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), formed in March 2024, reflecting deepened cooperation and ambition.

The Australian Embassy in Vietnam represents the Australian Government and hosts several agencies, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) , working together to strengthen Australia’s partnership with Vietnam.

Australia's new international development policy (2023) outlines a long-term vision to support partners like Vietnam by addressing critical needs, promoting sustainable development, and helping lift people out of poverty.

DFAT requires flexible, agile and adaptive technical and advisory support to coordinate the full range of Australia’s development assistance, including bilateral, multilateral and non-ODA to ensure a genuine, respectful partnership with Vietnam.

The Vietnam Support Unit (VSU) was established in October 2022 to establish ways of working through a flexible and responsive mechanism to strengthen and develop efficiencies and capability with program design, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), quality assurance and partnership brokering services. Our work has been valued by DFAT and has shifted with the evolving official development assistance (ODA) landscape to include provision of policy advice on initiatives such as the Development Partnership Plan (DPP), locally led development (LLD) and civil society engagement (CSO) to enhance understanding and identify opportunities for key stakeholders.
 

Challenges

Vietnam’s rapid socio-economic transformation towards becoming a modern, industrialised nation by 2045 presents both opportunities and challenges for development partners. DFAT continues to leverage Australia’s strengths to support key areas like economic growth, human resource development, climate change, and gender equality, disability and social inclusion, and complement other development partners.

Through the VSU, we are supporting DFAT in shaping Australia’s development priorities in Vietnam by facilitating extensive consultations to inform the Australia-Vietnam DPP 2025-2030 and contextually relevant approaches to LLD and CSO engagement. The DPP details how Australia can assist Vietnam’s national development, ensuring coordination with other partners and a unified, whole-of-government approach. It will also establish a performance framework and ways of working featuring LLD.

We are also supporting DFAT to implement its Quality and Performance Framework to ensure that Australia’s international development programs are effectively designed, managed, and delivered to achieve high-impact, sustainable outcomes. We have done this through strategic assessments, portfolio reviews, mid-term program reviews and expert case studies.

For example, we successfully completed a Strategic Assessment of DFAT’s Vietnam Portfolio and the Vietnam-Australia Centre MEL Framework Review, which provide actionable insights to guide future investment and delivery and enhance program impact. Our understanding of and commitment to the Framework helps DFAT to ensure program quality, monitor and evaluate impact and enhance accountability and transparency ensuring that DFAT can demonstrate value for money (VFM) and impact of its development activities.

Furthermore, we are supporting Australia’s collaboration with key Government of Vietnam and UN agencies to address violence against women and children in Vietnam through Partnership Health Checks, streamlining management and governance with a focus on the Government of Vietnam.

Expertise

We have delivered over 80 projects in Southeast Asia, including 28 in Vietnam. Our experience in the region is enhanced by our local partner, Mekong Economics, and network of experts. We draw on our experience working with various donors and a strong understanding of DFAT’s standards to deliver VSU services through the following approach:

• Expertise and Knowledge: drawing on our global MEL, strategic advice and partnership brokering expertise we design, deliver and manage flexible and appropriate support to DFAT in Vietnam.
• Program Management Excellence: we ensure high-quality program design, effective team performance, and successful delivery in line with DFAT specifications.
• Independent Advice: we provide timely, independent advice informed by deep knowledge of Vietnam and DFAT’s Design and MEL standards, quality reporting, and policy priorities.
• Consultant Selection: we carefully select consultants with the right expertise to meet DFAT’s needs and maintain alignment with DFAT’s standards.
• Responsive & Flexible Team: we offer a core management and consultant team experienced in DFAT’s management systems, drawing on a network of experts to provide efficient, targeted support.
• VFM: we prioritise VFM by ensuring that all activities are designed for maximum impact, with robust monitoring and evaluation to assess cost-effectiveness and alignment with DFAT’s objectives.

Our approach ensures that DFAT receives high-quality, flexible, and responsive support to effectively achieve its development goals in Vietnam.

Impact

We have successfully delivered over 20 activities through the VSU including policy advice, program design, MEL, research, and quality assurance at both portfolio and investment level and across key sectors.

We have demonstrated that we can successfully work within Vietnam's changing and complex socio-economic context, through effectively collaborating with a diverse range of stakeholders, including DFAT, the Government of Vietnam, multilateral agencies, CSOs, and other development partners, ensuring high-quality program implementation and impactful outcomes.

We have played a key role in supporting DFAT in Vietnam to establish plans and performance frameworks to define shared objectives between Australia and Vietnam and track and assess progress. As DFAT prepares to implement the DPP, drawing on its LLD guidance, we are supporting the development of a Vietnam-specific strategy and action plan to ensure effective LLD implementation.

The VSU’s agility has been critical in adapting to the shifting political and socio-economic landscape in Vietnam. Our flexible approach allows us to quickly respond to emerging challenges, ensuring that our support to DFAT remains relevant and aligned with evolving priorities, ultimately safeguarding the success and sustainability of development initiatives.
 

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