This article is the second excerpt from the 2021 Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) Report. It presents key findings from the 2021 PAPI citizen surveys on how local governments performed in delivering on their mandates and public services across the eight PAPI dimensions.

The 2020 Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index Report detailed findings on how provinces performed across the eight PAPI dimensions (Participation at Local Levels, Transparency in Local Decision-making, Vertical Accountability Toward Citizens, Control of Corruption in the Public Sector, Public Administrative Procedures, Public Service Delivery, Environmental Governance, and E-Government).

Even before Vietnam became affected by COVID-19 pandemic, poverty, economic growth and environmental issues were top concerns of citizens, according to the 2019 Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) report released on April 28 in Hanoi.

Findings from the 2016 PAPI Report, released on April 4, 2017, show positive trends in public service delivery. However, citizens are more concerned about the environment than in past years, and weaknesses remain in citizen engagement in decision-making, government accountability, and control of corruption in the public sector.

The Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) is a policy monitoring tool that reliably assesses citizen experiences and satisfaction with government performance at the national and sub-national levels. PAPI aims to improve the performance of local authorities to meet their citizens’ needs in two ways.

Vietnam’s Constitution and political structure offer opportunities for citizens to participate in governance both directly (through in-person engagement at the local level) and indirectly (through voting for People’s Council and National Assembly delegates). But how can citizens be more actively involved in public decision making?