Vietnam to complete the restructuring of commune-level administrative units before June 30

At the inaugural meeting of the Vietnamese Government’s Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation, Digital Transformation, and Project 06, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra provided an update on administrative reform achievements in 2024 and the first quarter of 2025.

Regarding institutional restructuring, the Minister emphasized that this process represents a true revolution within the political system. Recent reforms in administrative governance have yielded highly positive results, establishing a solid foundation for future development.

At the meeting, Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra outlined eight key administrative reform tasks to be prioritized through the end of 2025.

A major focus is on accelerating institutional reform to support legal system development, fostering innovation, and promoting sustainable growth. The Minister also stressed the importance of decentralization and delegation of authority to ensure that governance aligns with the principle of "local decisions, local actions, local responsibilities."

Additionally, efforts will be directed at eliminating institutional bottlenecks, particularly those hindering economic growth. The Vietnamese Government aims to modernize law-making approaches, encourage innovation, and unlock all available resources to drive development.

Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra also underscored the importance of restructuring provincial- and commune-level administrative units, as well as refining the two-tier local government model. The restructuring process will be guided by the principles of "cautiousness, thoroughness, urgency, and efficiency."

"We aim to complete the restructuring of commune-level administrative units before June 30, ensuring that by July 1, they will begin operating under the new system. Similarly, the merger of provincial-level administrative units will be finalized by August 30, allowing them to transition smoothly into the new structure from September 1," Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra stated.

Furthermore, the Minister noted that, in line with the Government’s directive of administrative reform, all 63 provinces and centrally governed cities have reduced 343 specialized agencies and equivalents under provincial People’s Committees, along with 1,454 specialized agencies at the district level.

Simultaneously, the number of public service units under ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies, and local administrations has been significantly reduced, further streamlining the administrative system.