Study tour to Sweden and Norway on Anti-corruption for Vietnamese delegation

Anti-corruption has surged to the top of the political agenda in Vietnam during the last two decades, since the national reform process began in the middle of the 1980s. The political leadership of Vietnam recognizes the adverse effects of corruption in terms of lost economic opportunities, decreased ecologic sustainability, and the undermining of people’s trust in the performance of the political system. Therefore, fighting corruption is a high priority on the agenda of the party and the government.
Whereas the scope and nature of corruption may differ across countries, there is no country free of corruption. Even countries that score well on different measures of corruption, such as the Nordic countries, have a fair share of corruption and corruption related problems. Moreover, in spite of vast research and extensive knowledge accumulation on what methods and strategies are most effective, experts conclude that much remains to be learnt about venues to tackle corruption. This calls for intensified efforts of learning and exchange of experiences between actors from different contexts on how to effectively obtain the common goal of eradicating corruption.

The study tour to Sweden and Norway by the delegation from the Chi Se Poverty Alleviation Programme aimed to enhance the dialogue and knowledge exchange between Vietnam and the Nordic countries on how to abate corruption. Key questions addressed during the visit were:

• What forms and scope of corruption do Vietnam, Sweden and Norway experience today? Is there a common experience from which to learn from?
• What are the consequences of corruption in these different countries?
• Can levels and consequences of corruption be measured and compared between countries and contexts?
• Is there a universal understanding of what actions count as corruption?
• How can corruption risks be identified in public and private sectors?
• What measures have been effective in fighting corruption in the different countries?
• What anti-corruption measures work and why?
• How can national and international anti-corruption efforts and commitments be implemented at local levels?
• How can progress in anti-corruption reforms be documented and how should they be assessed: what are reasonable expectations?