On the afternoon of June 24, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung convened a nationwide online conference aimed at reviewing, upgrading, and developing critical information systems to support the administrative unit rearrangement under Vietnam's new governance model. This pivotal meeting underscored the government's commitment to harnessing science, technology, and digital innovation to streamline public administration and enhance service delivery to citizens and businesses.
The conference was part of a broader governmental initiative to implement the Action Program responding to Politburo Resolution No. 57, which focuses on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. Central to this effort is the deployment of the CPNet specialized data transmission network and the execution of Plan No. 02 by the Central Steering Committee on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.
A key agenda item was the comprehensive review and upgrade of five essential information systems that serve command, control, and public service functions. These include the administrative procedure resolution system, document management and operational system, online meeting system, reporting information system, and the integrated data sharing platform. The plan set a tight timeline: system adjustments to be completed by June 27, network transition and trial runs on June 28-29, and official operation commencing June 30, 2025.
Service providers pledged full cooperation with local authorities to complete service configurations before June 27 and to support deployment beyond July 1. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung stressed the urgency and importance of this task, warning against complacency or carelessness. He mandated adherence to the "6 clear" principles: clear person, clear work, clear progress, clear responsibility, clear results, and clear authority. Ensuring the stable, continuous operation of IT systems and safeguarding information security were paramount to avoid disruption of public services or government management activities during and after the administrative rearrangement.
Thanh Hoa province exemplifies proactive implementation. The province has thoroughly upgraded network infrastructure, internal networks, online video conferencing systems, and established electronic information portals alongside document management software. Notably, IT infrastructure for 166 newly formed commune and ward-level public administrative service centers has been enhanced and successfully trialed.
Training has been extensive: over 10,000 new commune and ward officials and civil servants have been equipped to operate administrative software and technical systems. At the grassroots level, more than 4,000 community digital technology teams and 166 technical support teams have been established to assist public service centers and help citizens and businesses navigate public services effectively.
Integration with the National Public Service Portal is well underway, with over 7,000 user accounts and identification codes configured for the 166 new communes and wards. All public administrative service center officials have been trained in software use, and administrative procedure data has been updated on national databases to create a centralized "one-stop shop" for public services. The province has also prepared plans for receiving and processing administrative files, allocating human resources, and publicizing administrative procedures via local radio broadcasts three times daily to ensure citizens are well-informed and supported from July 1, 2025.
Alongside technological upgrades, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has issued Official Letter No. 4177/BNV-TCBC guiding the implementation of government decrees related to policies for cadres, civil servants, public employees, and armed forces personnel affected by the administrative rearrangement. This guidance is critical to managing human resources amid structural changes.
MoHA identifies four groups of personnel requiring focused policy attention: those with less than five years until retirement, those failing to meet job requirements, those lacking the professional training standards for their current roles, and those whose health impairs job performance. Conversely, the ministry emphasizes retaining capable and high-achieving personnel with ten or more years until retirement, recognizing their value to institutional stability and performance.
Agencies and localities are instructed to promptly process resignation applications from affected staff, ensuring full legal benefits and adherence to regulations. Local governments are also tasked with proactively allocating funds, following Ministry of Finance guidance, to guarantee timely payment of benefits. For those who have decided to resign before June 30, 2025, payments must be completed urgently by that date. If funding difficulties arise, localities must report to the Ministry of Finance for escalation and resolution.
MoHA's directives also clarify that during the rearrangement of administrative units and the two-level local government model, personnel who wish to resign immediately can be approved by local Party Committees and governments, with benefits provided under the relevant decrees. For agencies or units dissolving or ceasing operations, resignations can be approved without workforce quality assessments.
Furthermore, if after rearrangement the number of staff is below authorized quotas, only those not meeting job requirements or professional standards will be considered for resignation. Following stabilization, recruitment will proceed in line with management decentralization to restructure and enhance workforce quality.
Hanoi, preparing to officially launch its two-level local government model imminently, is carefully selecting and arranging cadres and defining staff positions at new commune and ward levels to maximize governance effectiveness. The Ministry of Home Affairs requires weekly progress reports from relevant departments and local authorities to monitor policy implementation and address challenges promptly.
These coordinated efforts—combining technological modernization with thoughtful human resource policies—reflect Vietnam's determined stride towards a more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centered administrative system. As Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung concluded, the task is monumental but indispensable, demanding unwavering focus and accountability to ensure seamless public service delivery and governance in the new administrative landscape.
