Vietnam targets digital public services by 2035; ASEAN’s green plans

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ASEAN countries are ramping up efforts to modernize their government services and improve public access. In recent news, the ASEAN region continues to push for wider digitalization across agencies to reduce red tape and accountability, while Vietnam has outlined a roadmap to make all public services fully digital by 2035.

• Vietnam sets ambitious goal for digital government by 2035
• ASEAN strengthens commitment to green digital progress

Vietnam aims for all government transactions to be digital by 2035

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung has signed a decision approving a program to develop population data applications, digital identification, and authentication to support the nation’s digital transformation plan, known as “Project 06.”

The program, intended to run from 2026 to 2030, sets out specific goals for each phase. During the 2026 – 2030 period, Project 06 will focus on handling administrative procedures, providing online public services, promoting the digital economy, and modernizing society. During the said period, the government of Vietnam is also set to develop digital citizenship, expand infrastructure, and improve the digital ecosystem by creating, connecting, and enriching data while ensuring social welfare and crime prevention.

By 2035, the country plans to be a sustainably developed, comprehensive digital nation by allowing all transactions between citizens and government agencies to be conducted online. National databases will be interconnected and shared to support the development of a smart government that enables decision-making based on real-time data. With the project, citizens will benefit from personalized, automated, and convenient digital services across sectors like healthcare, education, transportation, agriculture, justice, and security.

The project will focus on restructuring, reducing paperwork requirements, and simplifying procedures. Leading this change are the Ministry of Public Security, together with the Government Office, ministries, and local authorities.

By September, the Ministry of Public Security, the Government Office, and the Ministry of Science and Technology are scheduled to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual assistants for public services and administrative procedures. While local authorities, together with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Health, are tasked to study and propose solutions for “Digital Citizen Stations,” which is expected to begin implementation in January 2027.

Another objective of Project 06 is to encourage the use of electronic identification accounts for transactions and procedures in various sectors, including finance, banking, agriculture, environment, healthcare, education, tourism, logistics, and e-commerce. Additionally, the project aims to explore smart city solutions, such as “Digital Twins” and “Digital Location Models,” which are interconnected with location databases, population data, and digital identity systems.

In line with Project 06, the government plans to enhance the VNeID application, transforming it into a national multi-utility digital platform to facilitate and promote digital citizenship.

The program will enable the national digital ID to store citizens’ digital data, provide electronic authentication and identity verification, support online public services and administrative procedures, and integrate payment accounts.

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ASEAN ramps up efforts to strengthen green transition initiatives

“We welcomed concrete steps to safeguard the continuity and impact of ASEAN’s regional MSME platforms, including the ASEAN SME Academy, ASEAN Access, and emerging regional initiatives, which serve as vital instruments for capacity building, market access, and cross-border collaboration,” ASEAN’s statement Outreach Toolkit, which will provide practical guidance and resources to help MSMEs navigate digital trade opportunities, enhance their digital capabilities, and access international markets more effectively.”

As part of their efforts, ASEAN has encouraged the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) to strengthen its partnership, focusing on supply chain resilience, digital transformation, green transition, and inclusive growth.

Additionally, the leaders noted their adoption of the ASEAN Framework and Action Plan (FAP) for a Just and Inclusive Transition to Green Jobs (2025–2030). This plan aims to promote green employment, reskill and upskill workers, and foster stronger dialogue to ensure a better transition toward a green economy. They also introduced the development of an ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Labor Market and Social Resilience, which is expected to be adopted by the ASEAN Labor Ministers Meeting this year.

The leaders noted that the adoption of the ASEAN Guidelines on Cross-Country Exchange of Expertise by the ACCSM Heads of Civil Service will facilitate temporary assignments of civil servants to strengthen their technical skills and mutual learning.

“It guides the planning, implementation, and evaluation of exchange programs among AMS, which will be implemented to forge deeper understanding and appreciation of diversity in ASEAN and to support regional capacity building and cooperation among civil service agencies in areas of common interest, as well as in other emerging areas such as digital transformation and green economy,” ASEAN said.

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