The remarks were made at an interview with a Vietnam News Agency reporter on the sidelines of a signing ceremony for a grant totaling US$2.2 million, provided by the five donors of Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands for a programme to improve Vietnam’s inspectorate system in Hanoi on October 6.

“Vietnam really wants to do something about corruption and the strategy must be there very soon because it is a long fight and the anti-corruption steering committee is the most central tool for this understanding,” the Minister Counsellor said, adding, “I am glad you (Vietnam) took the decision to inaugurate the committee.”
Minister Counsellor Lennart agreed that a qualified inspectorate system is extremely important, but asserted that “for the anti-corruption strategy and overall work to be carried out in all sectors, that committee is really really central.”

As for the effectiveness of the committee, Lennart affirmed, “There is no reason for me to suspect that they will not perform or something else. I can’t have any doubts. I can only have hopes now at this stage.” “We have to trust their seriousness and good will,” he added.

Meanwhile, Counsellor for Development Cooperation of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam, Leiv Landro, highly rated the recent move taken by the Vietnamese government to set up the Anti-corruption Steering Committee, saying, “It is a very positive development”. He said that the new anti-corruption law and the steering committee show that “corruption is now high on the political agenda” of Vietnam.
Both Counsellors commented that it was quite encouraging that the media in Vietnam had recently played a very significant and important role in uncovering corruption cases.
The US$2.2 million grant is designed to support the inception phase of the programme “Strengthening the Comprehensive Capacity of the Inspectorate System from 2006 to 2010”. The initial phase will focus on drafting decrees, circulars and especially an anti-corruption strategy for Vietnam that will set priorities for the challenging work ahead.