Following rapid economic growth that resulted from reforms implemented in the 1980s, Vietnam was able to significantly reduce poverty levels from 58 percent in 1993 to just 14.5 percent in 2008. By 2010, the Southeast Asian country moved up to lower-middle-income status and seemed well on its way to meeting most of its Millennium Development Goals.
But Vietnam continues to struggle with development challenges such as inequality and poor social services. The government also has problems with corruption and weak public institutions. And while it has reached out to the private sector to help address these challenges, the current public-private relationship leaves much to be desired.
In addition, the move to middle-income status meant Vietnam became less of a priority for bilateral and multilateral donors, many of which have chosen to focus support on fragile and least-developed countries.