Vietnamlawmagazine

Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam addresses the official launch of the 2024 PAPI Report__Photo: UNDP

Quang Ninh province has secured the top spot in the 2024 Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI), followed by Tay Ninh and Binh Thuan.

The rankings were unveiled at the official launch of the 2024 PAPI Report held in Hanoi on April 15, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam in collaboration with the Centre for Community Support Development Studies (CECODES), and Real-Time Analytics.

Governance gains amid persistent challenges

The 16th edition of the annual PAPI Report, which captures the voices of 18,894 randomly selected respondents across the country, reflects improvements in key areas of governance, with citizens reporting higher levels of satisfaction with transparency in local decision-making, control of corruption in the public sector, environmental governance, and e-governance.

However, despite these gains, the report points out that only three out of eight governance dimension - control of corruption in the public sector, access to and quality of public administrative procedures, and access to and quality of public services - received high citizen scores nationwide.

Moreover, significant disparities remain in citizen satisfaction, particularly along demographic and geographic lines. Gender, ethnicity, migration status, and regional differences continue to influence public perceptions of governance quality.

Digital divide and social inequality

Despite advancements in e-governance, a pronounced digital divide persists. Access to digital services remains uneven, particularly among women, ethnic minorities, and rural populations, limiting their ability to engage with public institutions effectively.

Corruption remains the most pressing concern among citizens, cited by 22.58 percent of respondents, followed by poverty and hunger (14.2 percent), and jobs and employment (12.64 percent). These concerns highlight ongoing challenges in public sector performance and economic security.

The report also notes a strong correlation between household economic well-being and access to social insurance. However, only 29 percent of respondents currently have social insurance, with much lower coverage rates among agricultural workers, informal laborers, and ethnic minorities.

Call for inclusive governance reforms

“The PAPI findings underscore the urged need and opportunity to advance gender equity, social inclusion, and equitable access to public services through the ongoing governance reform,” said Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam. “These findings offer an evidence-based roadmap for improving citizen-centric governance and ensuring that ongoing and upcoming institutional reforms translate into tangible benefits for all Vietnamese citizens.”- (VLLF)