Vietnam is undergoing significant reform efforts aimed at enhancing the accessibility of land information for its citizens, a move increasingly recognized as critical for social transparency and economic development. This topic was a focal point of a recent seminar convened by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, along with the Real Time Analytics (RTA) and the Center for Promoting Education and Enhancing Women's Capacity (CEPEW).
Held in 2024, the seminar reviewed the processes surrounding public disclosure of planning information, including district-level land use plans and provincial-level land prices within electronic environments. ThS. Do Thanh Huyen, a policy analysis expert from UNDP Vietnam, shared notable statistics indicating progress in this area. "The rate of people accessing land information, including land use plans at the grassroots level, has increased from 7-8% to nearly 20% since 2019," she stated. However, this still leaves less than one-fifth of citizens aged 18 and older informed about their local land use—an indicator that much work remains to be done.
Despite existing obligations under Vietnamese law for communes to publicly post annual land use plans, Ms. Huyen noted that on-the-ground implementation has not seen substantial improvement. "Although communes are obligated to publicly post annual land use plans, implementation remains limited," she remarked, highlighting the discrepancies between legal mandates and real-world execution.
The 2024 study conducted by UNDP, RTA, and CEPEW highlighted significant improvements observed in electronic disclosures across provincial and district-level portals since 2021. By October 6, 2024, 53 out of 63 provinces and cities, a staggering 84.13%, had publicly posted land prices on their electronic portals—a notable 41.23% increase from assessments conducted just three years earlier.
Furthermore, around 70.9% of 704 district-level People's Committees reported having publicly disclosed their 2024 land use plans on district-level electronic portals, marking a 23% increase since the last review. Despite this progress, it was alarming to note that only 32.06% of land use plans were issued promptly within the mandated timeframes, highlighting ongoing administrative hurdles that need addressing.
Bac Giang province stands out as a case study, being the only province where all districts consistently disclosed their land use plans during three assessment rounds from 2022 to 2024, which serves as a model for others. This achievement showcases the potential for local government entities to efficiently manage and disseminate land information.
In terms of feedback responsiveness, a research initiative involved sending requests for land use plans to 63 provincial/city and 705 district-level People's Committees, receiving responses from 49.2% of the provincial level and 33.8% at the district level by October 31, 2024. Unfortunately, these figures reflect a high non-response rate, with over 65% of district offices failing to respond to information requests, indicating a clear barrier in public engagement and accountability.
This seminar also emphasized the experts' recommendations for local authorities to establish and maintain electronic portals to enhance citizen access to land information. As articulated during the discussions, it is essential that "cấp xã phải có cổng thông tin điện tử để dân tiếp cận được thông tin" (Communes must have electronic portals for citizens to access information). This is crucial not only for transparency but also for fostering a well-informed populace capable of engaging with local policies that affect their lives.
As Vietnam navigates new administrative landscapes—especially with no longer having a district level of governance—there is a pressing need to rethink the legal frameworks that mandate public disclosures. The report highlighted how the 2024 Land Law sets clear responsibilities for provincial governments to maintain transparency regarding land use planning, and similarly, provisions regarding local communes need to be reinforced to ensure that citizens can access relevant and timely land information.
Addressing these infrastructural and legislative needs means that local governments must focus more on developing user-friendly electronic interfaces that allow citizens to seamlessly acquire essential information regarding land use, thereby enriching the engagement process. Enhanced transparency surrounding land use plans would not only benefit the citizens but also serve as an attractive factor for potential investors.
In summary, while significant strides have been made in improving land information access in Vietnam, continuous efforts are needed to overcome the existing barriers to information disclosure, particularly at the grassroots level. The call to action outlined in the recent seminar reflects a collective aspiration for a transparent, accessible, and participatory governance model that serves all Vietnamese citizens, ensuring they are equipped with the necessary tools to navigate land issues effectively.
