1. Good Practice in SPS-related Technical Cooperation Greater Mekong Sub-region: Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam Kees van der Meer Laura L. Ignacio Presentation for the SPS/STDF/OECD Workshop WTO, Geneva October 6, 2008

2. Objective and methodology To identify good practice in delivery and receipt of SPS-related technical cooperation in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam Ten projects were nominated Analysis of questionnaires, documents, etc Interviews with stakeholders, specialists, donors Limitations: time and information available, limited SPS coverage in some projects, resource persons not available

3. Projects nominated (1) 1.Market Access and Trade Facilitation Support for Mekong Delta Countries through Strengthening Institutional and National Capacities Related to SMTQ Phase I by NORAD and UNIDO SMTQ project for Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam 2.Market Access Support for Viet Nam Through the Strengthening of Capacities Related to Metrology, Testing and Conformity by SECO and UNIDO SMTQ project for Viet Nam 3.Southeast Asia Foot and Mouth Disease (SEAFMD) by AusAID and OIE Animal health project for Southeast Asian countries 4.Multilateral Trade Assistance Project Viet Nam II (MUTRAP II) by EC Project on WTO Accession and SPS/TBT Agreement for Viet Nam 5.Fish-borne Zoonotic Parasites (FIBOZOPA) by DANIDA Food safety project for Viet Nam

4. Projects nominated (2) 6.Plant Quarantine II–Thermal Treatment for the Disinfestation of Fruit Flies by JICA Plant health project for Viet Nam 7.Sanitary and Phytosanitary Capacity Building Programme (SPSCBP) by AusAID Project with plant and animal health components for ASEAN countries 8.Zoonotic and Animal Diseases Affecting Trade in Viet Nam by SECO Animal health and food safety project for Viet Nam 9.Follow up to Regional Laboratory Diagnostic Workshop by USDA Animal health project for Cambodia 10.Costs of Agri-food Safety and SPS Compliance by UNCTAD General SPS project for Cambodia

5. SPS-related TA New area of support –Builds in part on TA for food safety, plant and animal health –But SPS agreement adds special dimensions Little accumulated experience Need to exchange experience and build robust body of good practice Mainstream it in development cooperation

6. SPS and Development Cooperation Quality and relevance could gain from better use of general frameworks on goals and effectiveness 1.UN Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (2000) –Contribution to MDGs 2.Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005) –Principles of effectiveness 3.OECD analysis of trade related assistance (2007) –General findings apply to SPS

7. Absorptive capacity is main factor in explaining different outcomes What works well in one country may not do well in another with less absorptive capacity –Example: regional projects did better in Vietnam than in Cambodia and Lao PDR Factors: Size of country, human and financial resources, governance, level of economic development, etc. One size does not fit all Good practice should be understood in context of absorptive capacities Design and implementation should interactively consider absorptive capacities

8. Good practice in project design (1) Most important for cost-effective and timely implementation 1.Thorough preparation with counterparts and beneficiaries 2.Needs assessment beyond narrow interest of receiving agencies –Relevance and need of ultimate beneficiaries to be included 3.Ensure transparency in project preparation

9. Good practice in project design (2) 4.Incorporate log frame – enhances result- based management and supports M&E 5.Design team should include expertise in development assistance, project management and SPS 6.Size, scope and duration tailored to complexity of problem 7.Ensure donor coordination 8.Project to be implemented by country

10. Good practice in implementation 1.Allow for flexibility 2.Promote transparency and communication with stakeholders 3.Active involvement of stakeholders, especially private sector 4.Combine support for training, institution building and equipment 5.Incorporate and implement M&E, based on good framework 6.Integrate management training into projects 7.Separate regulatory powers and service provision

11. Outcome and sustainability 1.All nominated projects appeared to contribute to desirable higher level objectives, but impact is mixed 2.Problems of sustainability related to weaknesses in design, for example –Created skills that cannot be applied –Service delivery capacity for which there is no market demand and no public funding –Piecemeal support without follow-up 3.There is much scope for increased efficiency and impact in SPS capacity building

12. Good practice at regional level 1.Conduct capacity building as much as possible at national level and focus regional approaches on interaction and interdependency of countries 2.More advanced countries support less developed countries

13. Conclusions 1.Replicable good practices are especially variables related to design and implementation 2.Need for SPS capacity differ much between countries 3.Projects in Vietnam better tailored to needs and absorptive capacities than in Cambodia and Lao PDR (fewer problems of sustainability) 4.Cross-cutting activities can have value added 5.Level of commitment contributes to success 6.Great need of good quality, well-targeted TA