As published in Viet Nam Law on 20 March 2026.

1. Viet Nam aims to become a high-middle-income country within the next five years and a developed country by 2045. In this context, improving the institutional framework for development has been identified as one of the three strategic breakthroughs. Drawing on international perspective how do you assess this development orientation?

Viet Nam’s focus on strengthening the institutional framework as a driver of development is fully aligned with international good practices and experience.

Across countries that have successfully achieved sustained growth and structural transformation, strong, accountable institutions and an effective legal system consistently emerge as critical enablers. In this sense, Viet Nam’s emphasis on improving the quality of governance, regulatory frameworks, and public administration is well‑placed and provides an essential foundation for its ambition to reach high-middle-income status in the near term and become a developed country by 2045.

From the United Nations’ perspective, the rule of law is at the core of sustainable development. The UN Secretary-General’s New Vision for the Rule of Law (2023) underscores that effective, accountable and inclusive institutions are indispensable for economic transformation, preserving social trust and ensuring that development gains are broadly shared. Strong legal and institutional frameworks help translate policies into predictable and transparent rules, safeguard rights, and create the stability required for investment, innovation, and inclusive growth.

This orientation is also embedded in the very logic of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions. By enabling effective regulation, enforcement, and long-term planning, institutional and governance reforms underpin progress across all the SDGs, from gender equality (SDG 5) and reduced inequalities (SDG 10), to economic growth (SDG 8) industry and innovation (SDG 9) to climate and environmental sustainability (SDGs 13 –15) to name just a few.

Drawing on UNDP’s global experience, countries tend to advance most successfully when domestic reform priorities are complemented by international good practices and evidence. Viet Nam’s commitment to strengthening its institutional and rule‑of‑law foundations can therefore be seen as a pivotal investment in the country’s long‑term resilience, competitiveness and inclusive growth.

2. In recent years, Viet Nam has made significant efforts to develop and improve the institutional and legal framework while improving the effectiveness of law implementation. Based on indicators such as the Global Innovation Index (GII), the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index), the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI), and the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), how would you assess Viet Nam’s institutional and legal framework, particularly in its role in enabling development?

Over the past decade, Viet Nam has made steady progress in strengthening the effectiveness of its institutional and legal framework. Importantly, these reforms are increasingly reflected in measurable outcomes, demonstrating that improvements in legislation and governance are translating into results that support human development, reduce poverty, and enable economic transformation.

International indices show that Viet Nam has built a more supportive institutional environment for innovation and competitiveness. In the Global Innovation Index (GII), Viet Nam ranked 44th out of 139 economies in 2025 and continues to stand out as one of the most innovative lower‑middle‑income countries, ranking second in its income group. Notably, several institutional components within the GII have also improved, such as Regulatory Quality, which rose from 99th in 2018 to 83rd in 2022  - a reflection of ongoing efforts to enhance the regulatory environment for investment, technology adoption and enterprise development.

National governance indicators offer additional insights into how institutions perform in practice. The Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index) reached its highest national average to date in 2024 (88.37%), which points at system-wide improvements in modernising public administration, improving service delivery, and simplifying administrative procedures. The Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI), grounded in citizen experiences, sheds light on areas such as transparency, control of corruption, and access to basic administrative and public services. As of the 2024 data collection round, citizens reported progress in 7 out of 8 governance, public administration, and public service delivery indicators, though results are uneven across provinces and across different population groups. These indicators capture the real‑world effects of reforms on individuals, households and communities, complementing higher‑level institutional assessments.

Taken together, these indices suggest that Viet Nam’s institutional and legal framework is increasingly enabling innovation, economic growth and improvements in public administration. At the same time, they provide policymakers with practical tools to identify reform priorities and guide investments in institutional capacity that strengthen accountability and transparency as well as efficiency. They also help highlight areas where further implementation support, coordination, or resources may be needed to ensure that legal and policy reforms concretely translate into improved development outcomes, especially for the most vulnerable.

3. In your view, what is the significance of cooperation programmes such as the Project EU Justice and Legal Empowerment (EU JULE) in Viet Nam in enhancing the effectiveness of building a rule-of-law state in Viet Nam and protecting the legitimate rights of all citizens?

UNDP supports Member States in advancing the rule of law and fulfilling their international human rights commitments by providing technical expertise, facilitating dialogue with international mechanisms, and sharing global good practices. A core element of this support is promoting a people‑centred approach to justice, ensuring that reforms respond to people’s needs, protect their rights, and strengthen trust in institutions.

The EU Justice and Legal Empowerment Programme (EU JULE) is an important example of such cooperation in Viet Nam. Implemented by UNDP and UNICEF in partnership with national institutions, and with support from the European Union, the programme contributes to building a rule‑of‑law state across several key dimensions: enhancing the quality and coherence of legal frameworks, strengthening the capacity and effectiveness of justice institutions, and expanding equitable access to justice - particularly for women, ethnic minorities, and other vulnerable groups. These efforts help ensure that improvements in the rule of law are not only reflected in institutional performance but are also experienced meaningfully by the public in their daily interactions with the justice system.

Designed in partnership with national stakeholders, EU JULE supports legal communication and outreach so people better understand their rights and available protections, including on issues such as gender-based violence. It strengthens the legal aid system by building the capacity of providers and enabling services to be available at courts and from the early stages of proceedings. At the same time, it contributes to legal and policy reform through research, legal reviews, and structured policy dialogue, helping ensure that reforms are grounded in evidence and aligned with international standards.

More broadly, international cooperation initiatives like EU JULE play a valuable role in supporting Viet Nam’s development trajectory by promoting equality before the law, improving access to justice, and fostering accountable and transparent institutions. By aligning technical assistance with national priorities, such programmes help reinforce the protection of citizens’ legitimate rights and contribute to a justice system that is more responsive, inclusive, and trustworthy.

4. Could you share some recommendations for Viet Nam to further improve its institutional and legal framework in order to promote the country’s sustainable development?

UNDP appreciates the emphasis placed by Viet Nam on institutional reform, and its recognition that improving institutions is the best antidote to addressing the “bottleneck of bottlenecks”. At this stage of development, more effective institutions are essential to sustaining growth and ensuring that it is inclusive and resilient.

In our rapidly changing and uncertain present, for institutions to be effective they need to have capacities to look into the future, to anticipate risks, to adjust to change - this is what UNDP defines “dynamic capabilities”. East Asia, and the whole of the world, has engaged recently in debate on how to build and sustain such capabilities, and how to translate them into innovation, growth, and prosperity.

This need for continuously adapting and reconfiguring systems and institutions, for scanning the horizon to understand what the most strategic investments may be, and translating vision into development is at the core of four overarching recommendations that UNDP proposes.

First, align reforms more closely with sustainable and inclusive growth. 
Institutions are most effective when they clearly support national priorities and are encouraged to keep building the capabilities they need to adapt and learn over time.

These capabilities—combined with a strong commitment to transparency and accountability at both central and local levels—help institutions anticipate and respond to interconnected development challenges such as inequality, climate change, and accelerating technological disruptions.

By embedding these principles in laws, policies, and programmes, and complementing reforms with deliberate, forward-looking investments in capacity development (supported as appropriate by digital tools), countries increase the likelihood that reforms deliver sustained and meaningful development results.

Second, focus on how laws are implemented.
Even strong laws fall short if implementation is uneven. Continued investment into the capacity of judicial and legal professionals, along with improved mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of the Constitution and laws, will improve consistency and trust. Digital transformation can improve transparency and better data help identify legal gaps and support evidence-based reforms.

Third, focus on enabling frameworks
As Viet Nam’s economy becomes more dynamic, its legal system should facilitate growth and innovation. Streamlining regulations, reducing overlaps, and removing unnecessary barriers will encourage entrepreneurship, and facilitate sustainable socio-economic development. 

Fourth, direct the system to support people
A strong rule of law is one that people can access, understand and trust. Policies should be designed with people at the center, from formulation to implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Expanding digital transformation, while safeguarding privacy and security protections, can support improved access to justice and and create new opportunities for meaningful participation.

UNDP remains a committed partner,  ready to share global experiences and good practices to support Viet Nam build a modern, resilient, and sustainable institutional system.