(6) Capacity to Deliver

Investment in the water sector has increased over the period 2006–2015 and Vietnam has invested more than US\$6.4 million in 140 water programs with funding mainly from the state budget and international donors [119]. Yet, the annual investment requirement for water supply and sanitation alone is about US\$2.7 billion, while the actual investment currently is less than 40% of this amount. Better planning and allocation, however, should help respond to the funding shortage by improving the efficiency and quality of public spending and also by attracting greater private financing [119].

A lack of staff and insufficient budget for environmental expenditure poses risks in relation to environmental water protection [134]. Inadequate water monitoring systems and limited modeling and managemen<sup>t</sup> tools also hamper water planning and managemen<sup>t</sup> [119]. In addition, while there is capacity in water sciences within, for example, the Vietnam Academy of Hydraulic Works, the Institute of Hydraulic Works Planning, and the Institute of Water Resources, key gaps in the social sciences remain.
