Hanoi, Sept. 8 -- Vietnam is accelerating the development of digital government and economy, betting that faster processing, simpler administrative procedures and wider data sharing will make a strong shift toward a modern governance model built around citizens and businesses.

Controlling procedures on paper

Fifteen years after the Government's Decree No. 63/2010/ND-CP took effect on June 8, 2010, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) said Vietnam has cut administrative procedures and business conditions considerably. But the system still rewards "form and compliance" over "risk management and effectiveness". It also lacks an effective way to control pre-approval inspection procedures, licensing requirements and discretionary "ask - give" pract...