Even in Vietnam, which has a socialist political system, the activities of NPOs have been gaining attention recently. Because of strong government regulation, however, Vietnam's nonprofit sector remains relatively underdeveloped. Key tasks for the development of Vietnam's nonprofit sector include developing NPO-related legislation, building the capacity of relevant government agencies, and enhancing government officials' understanding of NPOs. Given that Vietnam is in the process of drafting NPO legislation, this project aims to create the climate and foundation needed for the development of its nonprofit sector in a way that remains comfortably within the nation's political and social conditions. It is expected to achieve this goal by providing information and advice to such government institutions as the Commission of Legislative Affairs of the National Assembly, which plays an important role in drafting NPO-related legislation.
This year, the project analyzed and evaluated current NPO legislation, conducted an international comparative analysis of Vietnam's domestic foundations/ funds, and examined case studies of project outsourcing by local governments to the nonprofit sector. To improve awareness about the nonprofit sector, four government officials, including members of the Commission of Legislative Affairs, visited South Korea and India January 31-February 9, 2007 to study the development of the legal systems in both countries, and the current status of NPO support policies and inter-sectoral cooperation.