Vietnam jumps 15 places in e-Government ranking

The United Nations has just released the E-Government Survey 2024 report, outlining the overall digital government pursuit of countries around the world.

Compared to a few years ago, more and more countries are leveraging technology and expanding the digital services they provide to citizens and businesses.

The 2024 Report provides a comprehensive overview of e-Government development from global, regional, national and local perspectives of 193 United Nations member countries.

These findings are based on a combination of factors, including online government services, telecommunications infrastructure, adult population literacy and digital engagement.

Europe continues to lead in e-Government development, followed by Asia, the Americas, Oceania and Africa, according to the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI). While all regions have made significant progress in recent years, progress has been uneven and regional disparities exist.

Overall, the UN said the proportion of the population lagging behind in e-Government development has fallen from 45% in 2022 to 22.4% in 2024. But 1.73 billion people still need access to basic digital services. The gap is particularly wide in Africa and Oceania.

Denmark, Estonia, Singapore, South Korea and Iceland top the list of 20 countries with the most mature digital public services, according to the EGDI ranking.

This year, after two assessments maintaining the same ranking of 86/193 in 2020 and 2022, with 0.7709 points, Vietnam is classified in the "very high EGDI" group and ranks 71/193, up 15 places.

Criteria such as OSI (online public service index), TII (telecommunications infrastructure index), HCI (human capital index), EPI (digital participation index) all improved compared to two years ago. In Southeast Asia, Vietnam ranked 5th out of 11 countries in e-Government, up 1 place compared to 2022.

As a lower-middle-income country, Vietnam ranks high in the online public service index. According to the United Nations, countries with very high TII and EGDI indices like Vietnam can accelerate digital development by improving online public service delivery and human capital development.

The United Nations commented that the rise of countries like Vietnam from the high to very high EGDI group reflects the success in strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding Internet connectivity, and applying strong e-Government frameworks. Vietnam's significant investment in online public services is reflected in the new ranking.

The 13th United Nations e-Government Survey Report introduces a new Digital Government Framework, which provides a comprehensive roadmap for countries to effectively plan, implement and evaluate e-Government initiatives. It emphasizes an ecosystem approach, focusing on good governance, inclusion and security. The framework aims to leverage digital technologies to enhance public service delivery, promote inclusiveness and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

This year, the report also includes a chapter on the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the public sector. While AI can automate processes, increase efficiency and improve decision-making, its rapid development has outpaced regulatory frameworks, said Vincenzo Aquaro, head of e-Government at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

At a press conference to launch the report, Mr. Aquaro said that the number of countries with AI regulations is still much lower than those with good e-Government strategies. This highlights the need to synchronize efforts between AI regulations and existing e-Government frameworks, as well as the need to integrate AI into overall e-Government strategies to ensure effective implementation and avoid governance conflicts.