PM Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the meeting, photo source: VGP

This is the first session of the Committee since it was consolidated from the National Committee on E-Government. More than a week ago, the PM issued Decision 1964/QD-TTg approving the list of members of the National Committee on Digital Transformation and the leaders of the Committee’s Assistance Group. Accordingly, the Committee is chaired by PM Pham Minh Chinh. The Committee has 2 Vice Chairmen including: DPM Vu Duc Dam (Standing Vice Chairman of the Committee); Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung and members.

The session was electronically connected to 21 sites of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies and 63 provinces and cities across the country.

Speaking at the opening of the session, PM Pham Minh Chinh said that digital transformation is not only a general trend of the world, but also an objective requirement of the country’s development process. The first meeting launching the Committee is the step to implement the Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress on digital transformation, with 3 main pillars: digital government, digital economy and digital society.

At this meeting, the Committee will discuss to further raise awareness and unify actions; propose plans, methods and contents for the Committee to operate in a scientific and effective manner, suitable to Vietnam’s conditions. In the immediate future, it is to serve the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic; socio-economic recovery and development; ensure security and national defense; raise the position, role and potential of Vietnam in the international arena; all for the sake of the nation.

Striving to bring Vietnam into the top 30 in the world in terms of digital access

At the meeting, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said that digital transformation is more of an institutional revolution than a technology one. The government that takes the lead in spending on digital transformation will create a market for digital businesses. The government takes the lead in spending on basic research on some of the foundational digital technologies of digital transformation. Those will be important push for successful digital transformation in Vietnam. In a digital society, the prerequisite is that each citizen has a smartphone, and each household has a fiber optic internet connection, to which Vietnam has favorable conditions to achieve. The Ministry of Information and Communications is drastically directing solutions so that Vietnam will be in the top 30 in terms of digital access.

On behalf of the agency that has taken strong community steps in recent years, the Minister of Public Security, General To Lam, said that the outstanding result was the completion of the national database system on population and production, and issue of citizen identification. These are two important projects, an expensive national resource, and the original data for the development of digital transformation, digital economy, and digital society.

The Ministry of Public Security has been effectively promoting these two projects so far. Minister To Lam proposed the Government direct ministries, branches and localities to continue coordinating with the Ministry of Public Security to “enrich” the national database on population, effectively serving development tasks on socio-economic, epidemic prevention.

Also an industry with strong shareholders, Governor of the State Bank Nguyen Thi Hong said that through the statistics of 10 large commercial banks, the investment for shareholders is estimated at 15,000 billion VND per year. On average, the cost of investment resources to operate digital transformation accounts for 20-30% of the total operating investment cost; 90% of transactions are done on digital platforms for numerous banks. Agreeing with Minister To Lam, Governor of the State Bank Nguyen Thi Hong hopes that in the coming time, the Ministry of Public Security will continue to coordinate and allow credit institutions in the system connected to the citizen identification database to expand the field of digital transformation.

As 2021 is the first year of implementing the digital transformation strategy for the 2021-2025 period, many localities reported to have been focusing on consolidating all machines to do this work; operating the intelligent control center. The localities affirmed their determination to make fundamental changes in digital transformation in the coming time.

Ranked 3^rd out of 63 localities in the 2020 CDI index (DTI 2020), a representative of Quang Ninh province said that at present, there is a shortage of high-quality human resources to implement digital transformation. Therefore, it is necessary to have preferential policies to attract human resources in this field; ensure transparency and avoid negativity, review and have specific guidelines on cost management in the field of information technology application; promote communication about digital transformation.

Focusing on perfecting favorable institutions, promoting digital transformation

After discussions of representatives of leaders of ministries, branches and localities, PM Pham Minh Chinh delivered a conclusion speech for the meeting. He said, digital transformation in our country has achieved positive results in recent years; accordingly, the content of digital transformation has been included in the resolutions of the Party and Government and has been strongly implemented by the Government, ministries, branches and localities in all three pillars: digital government, digital economic and digital society.

Besides achieved results, digital transformation still remains shortcomings and limitations such as: The low ranking in terms of e-Government; The legal environment for e-Government and digital government is incomplete; awareness of the importance of digital transformation is not deep enough; have not yet turned awareness into political determination and concrete action; the implementation of national and specialized databases is still behind schedule; The training and development of human resources in many places have not been paid special attention to, etc.

Overview image of the online meeting of the National Committee on Digital Transformation. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Regarding the national digital transformation plan in 2022, the PM suggested that ministries, branches and localities be determined to perform tasks to create a breakthrough in order to lead, spread and promote digital transformation nationwide in the new period. The PM came to agreement in terms of guidelines with 18 groups of tasks and a number of policies to promote digital transformation mentioned at the meeting.

The PM requested the completion of the Committee's Work Plan in 2022. Accordingly, the plan must have a focus, clear goals, substantive and effective activities, individualize responsibility and increase strengthen the role of the Committee's Assistance Group; and ensure the principle that the Committee does not change the functions and tasks of ministries, branches and localities.

The Head of Government shall directly assign ministries and branches to immediately implement specific tasks such as: Formulating and submitting to the Government for promulgation decrees related to digital transformation; on electronic identification and authentication of personal data protection; regulations on management, operation and exploitation of the national database on population; promoting the development of digital infrastructure, ensuring information security, connecting and sharing data in national digital transformation; promoting the use of electronic invoices, associated with the development of the digital economy, universalization of digital signatures; promoting digital transformation in small and medium enterprises to promote digital economy development; promoting close linkage between administrative reform and digital transformation, digital Government; building a national database on cadres, civil servants and public employees; promoting the application of electronic health records for citizens, etc.

Chinh requested the ministries, branches and localities to urgently consolidate and change the name of the Steering Committee for Building e-Government to the Steering Committee for Digital Transformation led by the leader; prioritize, allocate resources and funding to implement and complete the tasks assigned in the National Digital Transformation Program, the e-Government development strategy towards digital government, and the digital society and digital economy development strategy, especially the key tasks in 2022 according to the Plan approved by the National Committee. Localities shall have policies to promote the formation of networks to support the implementation of digital transformation at the grassroots level, mobilizing the participation of society, including socio-political organizations, businesses, and volunteers.