The Harrison Group was contracted under the EU Lot 6 Environment Programme to provide the Team Leader for the mid-term review of the 5 year 10M euro EC funded Vietnam urban environmental planning programme. The UEPP programme aims to address the environmental pressures arising from rapid urban migration (waste, sanitation, flood risk, water supply and natural resource conservation), in addition to socio-economic conditions, in disadvantaged communities and rapidly growing cities in the Mekong Delta Region. The programme includes training / capacity building components in addition to a small grant programme financing environmental initiatives in 10 provinces.

The MDR occupies an important strategic role for Vietnam as a key rice producing area, and in addition to population pressures, is increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

SCOPE OF WORK
The mid-term review was undertaken following the EU evaluation procedures which assess the progress and achievements of the programme in relation to defined criteria including sustainability, effectiveness and impact.

The team reviewed the training and capacity building programmes facilitated through Ho Chi Minh City University and other national institutions. These are aimed at developing environmental planning skills at provincial levels. They similarly undertook site visits to projects in 10 provinces in the Delta region that were beneficiaries under the small grant programme.The team also engaged in widespread consultation with stakeholders through community consultation / focus groups and workshops, in addition to discussions at National Government level.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The team provided recommendations for the improved dissemination of knowledge at local and provincial levels, and for enhanced development of environmental baselines and associated M. and E. procedures.