38592 ConsultativeGroup Meetingfor Vietnam Hanoi, Vietnam: December 14-15'2006 Chairman's Report to the Board This report outlines the most pertinent issues raised during the end of year 2006 Consultative Group meeting in Vietnam, held at the National Conference Center on 14 - 15 December 2006. Pledges reached a record high US$4.4 billion. Emphasis was placed on the need to focus on quality of growth as well as the consolidation of governance andfinancial reforms. Concerns prevail about the need tofight corruption and thepersistent poverty among ethnic minorities. 1. Opening Session Delegates offered congratulations on several highlights in 2006: World Trade Organization (WTO) accession, the successful hosting o f the APEC summit, appointment of Vietnam to be a non-permanent member o f the UN Security Council in 2008, the approval o f the Socio-Economic Development Plan 2006 - 2010, and Government leadership in piloting the "one UN" initiative. This last i s a pilot scheme at the cutting edge of the UN system-wide reform, which aims to develop one set of management practices, one plan, and one budget for the operations o f all UNagencies inVietnam. All UNagencieswillbehousedinonebuildingandplacedunderone overallUNleader. It was widely acknowledged that the challenges o f the next five years will be substantively different from those o f the past. The Prime Minster emphasized the desire to reach middle income status by 2010 and industrialized country status by 2020. Opening speeches discussed the need for quality and balance o f economic growth, deepening structural reforms, ensuring social inclusion, protecting the environment and modernizing institutions. 2. Economic Growth and Global Integration Discussion covered reforms that will help Vietnam complete its transition to a market economy, and simultaneously meet its international commitments. As Vietnam enters middle income country status it will need to focus on building complex institutions to support the government's role as a regulator rather than a provider of goods and services. Continued consultation with the private sector was encouraged as its role in economic activity expands. Keypoints raised by donors included: The need to accelerate banking reform - Donors expressed disappointment that progress has not been as rapid as expected. WTO commitments will increase competition in the banking sector, and Vietnam will need to adjust to this new reality as soon as possible. New targets for equitization o f all State Owned Commercial Banks (SOCBs) in 2007 and 2008 must encourage the participation o f strategic investors. The State Bank o f Vietnam (SBV) should become a modem central bank focused on market-based monetary policy and risk-based supervision. Furthermore, the stock and bond markets will become increasingly important sources o f finance for a middle income country. The reformof State Owned Enterprises(SOEs) i s now entering a key phase as General Corporations are being transformed, with some becoming Economic Groups. The State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) will become the sole exerciser o f government ownership rights and will thus help eliminate interference from ministries and provinces in the operation o f SOEs. It i s crucial that these large Economic Groups and the SCIC follow modem practices o f corporate governance . Modernizing tax administration and customs will be a crucial revenue-side reform, with agencies developing a clean and customer-service culture. Challenges lie in making the state's budget more transparent as well as bringing accounting and reporting into line with international standards. It will be important to continue to decentralize expenditures and increase the autonomy o f service delivery units while makingthem more accountable. Increasing global integration offers benefits but will also heightenvulnerability to capital flows or other international shocks. Macroeconomicmanagement needs to become more modem; this has implications for exchange rate management, foreign reserve adequacy and supervision o f capital markets and the banking sector. The World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments must be implemented through a development approach that focuses on harnessing the benefits o f accession rather than narrowly on compliance. It will require coordination across several ministries, as well as across all levels o f government. Therefore an empowered coordinating mechanism i s needed to implement the government's action plan. Communicating with all stakeholders, notably the private sector and civil society, is important, as i s keeping with a special eye on detecting and responding to problems faced by the poor. 0 The Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) acknowledged the increasingly consultative process in drafting laws and decrees. Nevertheless, the late issuance o f guiding documents creates uncertainty around the requirements o f the laws, and the VBF encouraged government to involve business at an earlier drafting stage. The forum placed a specific focus on infrastructure development, especially on sea ports and electricity and on the importance o f attracting Foreign Direct Investment in these sectors as well as higher education to ensure a skilled work force. 2 3. Social Developmentand EnvironmentalSustainability Discussion covered the challenges of providing education for a rapidly growing and integrating economy, the prevention of HIV/AIDS, the control o f Avian Influenza (AI), progress in natural resource management, and protection o f the environment. Key themes were the need for emphasis on lagging groups, especially ethnic minorities; the need to include the poor in integrated, sustainable, universal systems; and the need for sound, cross-ministry engagement. More detailed discussion covered the following issues: Delegates welcomed the establishment o f a comprehensive mechanism for donor-government coordination and dialogue (CAP) inprevention o f HIV/AIDS, which could enable more rapid progress than in the past. It was also suggested that this should go further, to include all resources, not just Official Development Assistance (ODA). Partners were eager to see stronger participation o f ministries outside the Ministry o f Health (MoH) and more intensive efforts to reduce stigma. Since HIV/AIDS in Vietnam i s concentrated among young people, prevention through education i s particularly important. Partners also praised the Government for its handling o fAI. They recognized that Vietnam's success inhandling AI so far should not lead to reduced assistance, and that donors should commit to supporting medium-term interventions such as capacity buildingfor healthworkers, which will be key to minimizing the damage causedby any resurgence o f AI. Delegates welcomed the presentation on education policythat retains an emphasis on inclusive, quality basic education while also focusing on higher education as a factor in improving Vietnam's competitiveness. Participants commented on the need for closer collaboration betweenthe Ministry o f Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Ministry o f Education and Training (MOET), particularly with regard to the provision o f training. Delegates also expressed a hope that the forthcoming decree on teaching and learning for ethnic minority childrenwould include a provision for bilingual education. Participants discussed a number o f challenges associated with the provision of social security through universal systems, recognizing that the move to a middle income (and increasingly urbanized) economy requires a significant cross-sectoral effort in order to avoid fragmentation o f the system. Some o f the key considerations inthis regard are: o Tavgetedpvograms: Analysis suggests that what has worked well so far may not be what will work well in the fiture. Inparticular, activities that have served the Kinhwell may not serve ethnic minorities as well. There are grounds for arguing that policies and actions intendedto benefit ethnic 3 minorities could be re-thought with a view to improving outcomes specifically for them. o Health insurance: Partners welcomed the clear strategy of developing a universal system that includes the poor. As MoHprepares to pass the law, several issues will arise, such as the refund system, the ability o f the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) to be a strategic purchaser, and experimentation with group insurance for those who will be expected to contribute voluntarily (those who are neither formally employed nor qualify for subsidised insurance). A particular concern will surround the management o fhealthcosts, which might accelerate quite rapidly. o Pensions: The discussion suggested that a great deal remains to be done to put in place a fiscally sustainable, inclusive pension system. Even with recent regulatory changes, the pension system i s still quite far removed from an actuarial benchmark. The meeting encouraged MOLISA to consider the model being developed to provide universal health insurance. This would include explicit recognition o f debts that are building up to cover pensions for the generation that will retire in 30 to 40 years and consideration o f a subsidy along the lines o fwhat is beingdone inhealth. o Systems: Experience from partner countries suggeststhat Vietnam should contain the proliferation of identity cards and numbers that arise from a fragmented system o f social security provision. Instead, efforts now to make use o f modemtechnology and to move towards an integrated system will greatly simplify management inthe future. Delegates also suggested that the high rates o f both occupational and physical mobility will necessitate systems that allow for portability o f schemes from one place to another or from onejob to another. o Jobs: Job opportunities will be crucial to making growth inclusive. Discussion suggested that maintaining flexibility in labor markets would be key to maximizing job creation. The minimum wage will have to be raised considerably over the short term, which implies a need for a cautious approach to labor market policies. This would include not raising fees and contributions and a shift away from using one tool for multiple purposes. Inparticular, it would be useful to dissociate pay in the public sector from wider labor market issues. Discussion suggested that ensuring that ethnic minorities have access to land along with appropriate technical inputs and market access will be important to addressing troubling, growing gaps. Delegates congratulated the Government on the passage o f the new Law on Environmental Protection, but suggested that both government and donors could be paying more attention to climate change. As a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, Vietnam could be using the Clean Development Mechanism more creatively. Delegates also noted that robust implementation o f the regulations on environmental protection will dependheavily on the skills and capacity of staff at 4 local levels o f Government, especially in the Departments o f Natural Resources and the Environment (DONRE). 4. Good Governance Discussion covered the interconnected issues o f Public Administration Reform (PAR), legal andjudicial reform, and anti-corruption work. Key themes resonating through these connected areas include: the promotion o f accountability and transparency, managing the interplay between information and systems, moving from "civil masters to civil servants", and "whole-of-government" responses. Delegates suggested that PAR i s the key tool for achieving goals for both governance and for broader social and economic progress. A t a strategic level, reform o f the public administration will involve defining borders between public and private, between central and local, and between state and society. The development o f sound, register-based systems will be key to improving the efficiency and transparency o f Government operations. Development partners also suggestedthere i s a need to remedy incentive structures for civil servants that currently create a culture o f risk aversion. Legal and judicial reform: With WTO accession, the economic costs o f slow implementation o f resolutions 48 & 49 (Legal Reform Strategy and Judicial Reform Strategy) could be considerable. Participants noted that a lack o f qualified legal experts, particularly at local levels, was a key constraint in the implementation o fjustice. Delegates strongly encouraged the development o f an enabling framework for local civil society and a continuation o f participatory approaches to policy-making and law-making. Delegates praised the government for its strong will and considerable action in tackling corruption since the mid-term CG. There has been follow-up on specific issues (e.g. PMUl8) and a strategy for system-wide change. Ratification o f the International Convention on Anti-Corruption i s likely early next year. The establishment o f the high-level steering committee was praised, and seen as central to holding agencies accountable for upholding high standards o f integrity, to monitoring progress, and to ensuring that Vietnamese citizens have good information on progress and issues. There was concern that grand corruption should not eclipse the need to tackle small-scale corruption, which impacts the poor directly. Anti-corruption efforts could include a focus on the next generation, which i s to aim toward the next generation of Vietnamese citizens as the first to live in a corruption-free economy. Though some solutions to corruption are political in nature, there are some clear technical steps that could have a direct impact on the space for corrupt behavior. These could include a focus on developing transparent business processes and transactions in sectors and areas where the 5 corruption diagnostic study already clearly indicates that there are problems. Delegates also emphasized the need to gather good data for diagnosis and monitoring, and agreed that there was a substantial role for the media in promoting accountability ingovernment operations. 5. ODA Harmonisation and Effectiveness There was praise for progress in implementing the Hanoi Core Statement (HCS). The government reported some quick wins with regards to cost norms and recent legal innovations. Discussion focused on the need to see donor harmonizationnot as an end in itself, but as a way of to enhance effectiveness and reduce transaction costs. In this sense, the harmonization agenda does not imply a narrowing o f the range o f aid modalities. 0 Donors welcomed the introduction of Decree 131 and offered support to the Government in designing the implementing circulars to ensure that this does not add layers o f bureaucracy. Donors voiced concern about the ambiguities arising in the legal framework that links grant agreements and international treaties. There were concerns that these recent legal changes would not be sufficient to tackle the problem o f poor disbursements, which could ultimately undermine ODA commitments. Delegates welcomed the forthcoming independent monitoring mission that will give an objective assessment o f where government and donors stand in the implementation o f the HCS. Delegates commended the Government on its leadership inpromoting UNreform through the "One UN" initiative inVietnam. More broadly, there was agreement that the partnership architecture had become overly complex and should be rationalized. 6. Pledging Pledges this year hit a record level totaling US$4.4 billion, US$700 million more than last year. Details o f the pledgesare attached. 6 Vietnam: CG Meeting Pledge Summary Dec 14-15, 2006 IUS$ millions Pledge for Bilaterals 2007 Australia 63.7 Canada 27.0 Japan 890.3 Korea 110.5 New Zealand 6.0 Norway 10.0 Switzerland 23.4 Thailand 0.3 United States 84.7 EU sub-total 948.2 European Commission 52.7 Belgium 20.7 Czech Republic 2.1 Denmark 82.5 Finland 24.1 France 370.4 Germany 76.1 Hungary 0.7 Ireland 23.0 Italy 55.5 Luxemburg 13.2 Netherlands 59.3 Poland 0.3 Spain 25.0 Sweden 45.2 United Kincidom 97.5 Sub-total bilaterals 2,164.3 Multilaterals 1,140.5 UN agencies 70.9 World Bank 890.0 Sub-total mutlilaterals IInternational NGOs [Total ,.,,.,I 180,Ol Note: Exchange rate o f December 12, 2006. PRESS RELEASE ConsultativeGroupMeetingfor Vietnam Hanoi, December 14-15,2006 Contact :Nguyen Hong Ngan: (84-4) 934 6600 -234 Email:nngu! eii5'2jv,orldbank.org DONORS SHOW STRONG SUPPORT FOR VIETNAM'S POVERTY REDUCTION EFFORTSAND THE 2006 -2010 SOCIO- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN HANOI December 15,2006 - The two-day Consultative Group (CG) Meeting for Vietnam closed - today, with donors expressing their continued support to Vietnam's development and the objectives o f the Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP) 2006-2010. Donors also congratulated the Government on its successful hosting of the APEC meeting and accession to WTO. The meeting was characterized by an open and frank dialogue on the path ahead, including key challenges to be addressed. While economic growth and poverty reduction are critically important, participants agreed that attention should also be placed on improving the quality o f growth. As envisaged in the SEDP, ensuring social inclusion, protecting the environment, and strengthening governance must remain key priorities inthe coming years. The financial commitment to Vietnam's development reached record levels, with pledges reaching more than US$4.4 billion inassistance for the comingyear, compared to US$3.7 billion last year. For the first time in the history o f Vietnamese CG meetings, a Vietnamese Prime Minister participated, accompanied by 5 ministers.In his remarks, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said that growth this year i s expected to reach 8.2%, but importantly there has also been an middle income status by the end o f the SEDP 2006 - 2010. "This progress has been achieved as a associated fall in the number o f poor households by 3%. Vietnam is firmly on track to reach the result of sustained reform efforts that started 20 years ago. It is the expectation that GDP per capita will reach US$1,100 by the end of the SEDP 2006-2010 period, putting Vietnam on the path to become an industrialized country by 2020. Challenges remain, particularly in the area of corruption. The Party and the Government are committed to tackling corruption and we have taken a number of concrete actions to identifi and reduce corrupt practices. Ensuring sustainable development is also a challenge, and we would like to thank the international community for its support in addressing this challenge. Our relations are as much about ideas as it is about money, and we lookforward tofurther cooperation, in the spirit ofpartnership, in the years to come." Prime MinisterNguyen Tan Dungtold participants at the opening session. Meeting Vietnam's Social and Economic Targets 2006 - 2010 Donors and the Government discussed Vietnam`s social and economic performance. Vietnam's Minister for Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc said, `Vhe achievements in ODA implementation are remarkable, and have contributed to reaching socio-economic development and poverty reduction targets in Vietnam. The implementation of the 5-year Socio-Economic Development Plan 2006 - 2010 is a long road that offers many advantages and opportunities while at the same time posing no small d@culties and challenges given Vietnam 's accession to the WTO. Thisfurther requires the Vietnamese Government andpeople to make a yet greater effort whileputting a big demandfor the international community'sfurther assistance to Vietnam". Donors complemented the efforts o f the Government inthe past months, noting that 2006 has been an extraordinary year for Vietnam with the successful hosting o f the annual APEC meeting, accession to the World Trade Organization, and its recent election to the Security Council of the United Nations. 1I4 They underlined that while it has been a year which has seen Vietnam's firm integration into the international community, an integration which will bring with it many advantages, it will also require the country to continually adjust to new realities. "WTOaccessionposes challenges as well as opportunities" said H.EMr.Norio Hattori, Ambassador of Japan. "The accession is expected to bring about signijkant impact upon Vietnam`s economy and society. One ofits associated challenges is the need to build up the capacity of local governments including provinces. Japan continues to work together with Vietnam to attract more investment through their Joint Initiative. Japan is also resolved to continue its infiastructure assistance including major transportation projects. He also welcomed Prime MinisterNguyenTan Dung'scommitment to fight corruption and expressed highexpectations for his leadership. Donors and Government agreed that the steps taken to reform and open up the economy will benefit the Vietnamese people through the creation o f employment, increasing exports and enhanced ability to attract foreign investment. While commending the strong economic progress inthe last few years, as well as the prudent macroeconomic management, delegates emphasized the need to accelerate reforms, particularly o f State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and address shortcomings in the financial sector. Donors emphasized that in the future, the Government should move rapidly from being an owner to becoming a regulator ofbusiness. Mr.LazarosMolho ofthe IMFstatedthat "Vietnam 's overall record of economicperformance has continued to be impressive over the lastyear. WTOmembership will undoubtedly provide Vietnam with enhanced opportunities for continued rapid economic development but as authorities clearly recognize the outlook is not without risks. To reap thefull benefitsfuom increasing global integration, macroeconomic management will need to be increasingly vigilant, reforms ofpreviously-protected industries will need to be stepped up, andfinancial system regulation and supervision upgraded." Delegates emphasized that strengthening the capacity o f government employees and institutions is a critical challenge. They noted that a middle-income country has a more complex economy, much more diverse across regions and across sectors, and Vietnam must tackle this to put itself on track to become an industrialized country. Mr. Ayumi Konishi, the Country Director of the Asian Development Bank noted that, "As Vietnam is entering into a new phase of development, it has to improve its competitiveness. Andfor Vietnam to be competitive, it has to enhance eflciency at all levels, the national andfirm levels, as well as in effective absorption of the increasing level of assistance." As part o fthe CG process,the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) was held 13 December 2007 between representatives o f the business community and the government. On behalfo f the VBF, Mr.Oliver Massman congratulated the Government on WTO accession adding that, "While accession should boost international investment, the subsequent challenge will befor Vietnam to build a strong platform for private sector investment that will ensure healthy levels of FDI and economic growth. Thisplatform will best be supported by threepillars: in$iastructure development, education, particularly higher education, and maximizing tourism sector opportunities." The VBF acknowledged the Government's openness inconsulting with the business sector. Participants especially highlightedthe significance o f continued consultation inthe drafting o f laws and regulations, and ensuringtheir timely issuance. Social Inclusion and Improving Governance Donors and the Government agreed on the importance o f combating corruption. H.E. K a r i Alanko, the Ambassador o f Finland, which holds the Presidency of the European Union stated that, Torruption is a major factor that slows down Vietnam's development efforts. I t is also a fact that corruption influences perceptions about development assistance in donor countries." He also stated that legal andjudiciary reforms are critical, noting that "a strong and independent judiciary system is 214 aprecondition for a society based on the rule of law. The EU considers that the rule of law not only safeguards human rights, but is also a crucialprecondition,for sustainable development.'' Donors noted that development is about more thanjust economic growth, underscoring that emphasis must also be placed on quality o f growth, social inclusion and on the changing nature of the relationship between the state and society. They emphasized the importance o f establishing an appropriate legal framework for civil society participation in Vietnam's development process, and urged Government to present a Law on Association as soon as possible. The well-being of the country's most vulnerable citizens must also be prioritized as the economy strengthens, donors said. People living with disabilities, or with HIVIAIDS, and people vulnerable to natural disasters as well as ethnic minorities need the active support o f the state to ensure a life in dignity, noted Mr.John Hendra, United NationsResident Coordinator.H e further underlined that, "Efforts to sustain development progress over the long term through the development of transparent, democratic and accountable public institutions and sustainable management of the environment and natural resources should guide ODA in thefuture. " Concern about the persistent poverty o f Vietnam's ethnic minorities was echoed by several other delegations. The Norwegian Ambassador, H.E. Kjell Storlokken, speaking on behalf o f Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and Norway recognized the significant efforts made by the Government to improve the lives o f disadvantaged groups, welcomed the new measures inthe SEDP 2006 - 2010 for socio-economic development o f the mountainous and ethnic minority areas, but added that, "Improvement of the living conditions of poor ethnic minority households and communities goes beyond infrastructure and economic development. I t is important to empower the ethnic minorities' representation within the administrative and political level and enhance the role of ethnic minority communities in the planning and decision-making process." The ambassador, drawing from the experience o f all four countries underscored that, "Ethnic minority cultureforms a vital component of a country's cultural heritage and plays an important role in the development of a dynamic and contemporary society. " Aid Effectiveness Donors reaffirmed their commitment to align their assistanceto the SEDP 2006 - 2010 as emphasized in the Hanoi Core Statement (HCS) on aid effectiveness, and welcomed the new Decree 131 on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) utilization and management. They also welcomed the forthcoming independent monitoring mission that will give an objective assessment o f the implementation o fthe HCS. The group o f Like-Minded Donors' commendedthe strong leadership ofthe Government in advancing aid effectiveness through the implementation o f the Vietnam HarmonizationAction Plan. They emphasized, however, that additional efforts could be made to further the effectiveness o f ODA through the harmonization o f management cost norms, aiming at a revised cost norm framework, including ceiling and floor rates, both for Government and donors. Furthermore, the groupjoined other participants inwelcoming the One UNinitiative, and commended the Government leadership in piloting this important initiative, which will provide a solid basis for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness o f the UnitedNations. In his closing remarks, Mr. Klaus Rohland, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, underlinedthat "the SEDPs goal of Vietnam becoming a middle income country by 2010 is ambitious but attainable. Given its recent performance Vietnam should aim high. Reaching middle income status is not only about income levels, but also about putting in place complex institutions. I t is about making the delivery of services more decentralized; it is about increasing transparency and accountability; it is about building a social protection system reconciling efJiciency with support to The Like-Minded Donor Group consists of Australia, Belgium, CanadamDenmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerlandandthe United Kingdom. 3I4 the vulnerable. Above all, reaching middle-income country status requires a shft in the role of Governmentporn owningand doing to leading and regulating. 'I -####- The Consultative Groupfor Vietnammeet in Hanoi on December 14-15, 2006, under the co- chairmanship of Mr. Vo Hong Phuc, Minister of Planning and Investment and Mr. Klaus Rohland, World Bank's Country Director for Vietnam. The Vietnamese delegation was led His Excellency, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, His Excellency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem and Mr. Vo Hong Phuc, Minister for Planning and Investment. It also has, and among others: Mr. Vu Van Ninh, Minister of Finance; Mr.Le Duc Thuy, Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam; Mr.Nguyen ThienNhan, Minister of Education and Training; Mr. Ho Nghia Dung, Minister of Transport, Mr.Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Vice Chairman of the Government's Ofice, Mr. Cao Viet Sinh, Vice Minister of Planning and Investment,Mr. Nguyen Toan Thang, Vice Chairman of the CommunistParty's Central Commissionfor Economics,Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tran, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Tran Xuan Ha, Vice Minister of Finance, Mr. Phung Dac Ke, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam,Mr. Tran Huu Thang, Vice Minister of Home Afairs, Mr. Hoang The Lien, Vice Minister of Justice; Mr. Hua Duc Nhi, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Mr, Le Danh Vinh, Vice Minister of Trade; Mr. Pham Vu Luan, Vice Minister of Education and Training; Mr. Ho Xuan Hung, Deputy Chairman, National Steering Committeefor Enterprise Reform and Development; Mr. Mai Quoc Binh, Deputy General Inspector of the Government'sInspectorate, Mr. Dam Huu Dac, Vice Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs; Mr. Pham The Minh, Vice Minister of Transport; Mr. Trinh Quan Huan, ViceMinister of Health; Ms Nguyen Thi Hong Minh, Vice Minister of Fisheries, Mr. Hoang Manh Hien, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee, Mr. Le Van Bang, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Do Huu Hao, Vice Minister of Industry, Mr. Pham Khoi Nguyen, Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr. Vu Tien LOC, VCCI Chairman and representatives from mass organizations, research organizations, andNGOs. The meeting is also attended by delegations from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungauy, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UnitedKingdom, United States and the European Commission,. Also attendingAre Asian DevelopmentBank (ADB), International Finance Corporation, International Monetary Fund (IMF), UnitedNations Development Program (UNDP). Attending as observersare Argentina, Brazil, India, SouthAfrica, Kuwait Fund For Arab Economic Development,ILO, IOM, NORDIC, NGO, UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, VNHCR, UNIDO, UNODC, and WHO. 414