Recommendations for VPA/FLEGT Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism

On August 14, 2020, at the People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature) office, representatives of RECOFTC Vietnam, WWF Vietnam (online), and PanNature had a meeting with the VPA/FLEGT  Monitoring and Evaluation advisory group to provide recommendations on the development of the draft framework.

The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) is a legally binding trade agreement aimed at improving forest governance and promoting legal timber trade (FLEGT) between Vietnam and the EU. To implement the Agreement, Viet Nam needs a monitoring and implementing mechanism with the participation of representatives from government agencies and other relevant stakeholders.

At the meeting, representatives of the VPA/FLEGT M&E advisory group Mr. Nguyen Huu Dung and Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, in charge of forest monitoring and stakeholder participation, presented draft documents on the proposed M&E mechanism and VPA Impact Monitoring Outline.

Representatives of mentioned-above organizations basically agreed with the direction in building the M&E mechanism and the VPA impact monitoring scope. Recommendations emphasized that the M&E mechanism should ensure, encourage, and broaden the effective participation of non-governmental organizations and communities for quality improvement in monitoring and evaluation. Simultaneously, contents and indicators related to the impact in forest governance and social security should clarify the role of the VPA in land tenure and forest use rights. Representatives also indicated that it was essential to establish an effective feedback mechanism for monitoring reports.

The meeting is part of the consultation process. The results of this meeting will be used to prepare a proposed revision to mechanisms and terms of reference on VPA impact monitoring.

The activity was carried out under the EU-funded Voices of Mekong Forests (V4MF) Project.