END OF PROJECT REVIEW Capacity Building Program for Vietnam in the Water, Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Sector under the Norad/KfW Mixed Credit Scheme

Norad has supported a capacity building program related to the Norad/KfW mixed credit portfolio of twelve infrastructure projects in the Vietnamese water supply, wastewater/drainage and solid waste sectors. This report presents the end of project review of the capacity building (CB) program. The review is carried out according the OECD DAC evaluation criteria, and includes a two-week long field work in Vietnam, with visits and interviews at five project sites. Our main conclusions are:

• The CB program has likely improved the operation and maintenance of the mixed credit investment projects and contributed to these projects’ compliance with the Norad and KfW requirements.
• The program has facilitated the process towards increased cost recovery through tariffs in the
  wastewater/drainage and solid waste sectors.
• A major strength of the program was the decision to combine funds for capacity building that were intended
  for more practical O&M training at each project site, to allow for important sector-level capacity building.
  This is likely to improve sector performance and sustainability beyond the 12 infrastructure projects funded
  through the mixed credit scheme.
• Several of the program’s activities have only to a limited extent contributed towards these outcomes, and
  the additionality of some of the activities is questionable.
• The program has struggled somewhat under delays and unclear program documents.