Vietnam moved up one place to rank 71st among 193 countries in the 2024 edition of the United Nations (UN) E-Government Survey – Accelerating Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development, which was launched by the UN on September 17.

According to the report, Vietnam, scoring 0.7709 in the E-Government Development Index (EGDI), was in the very high EGDI group. The country was ranked fifth among 11 ASEAN members.

That Vietnam and many other countries advanced from the high to the very high group reflects their successes in strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding Internet connectivity, and implementing robust digital government frameworks, the UN said, stating that Vietnam’s significant investments in digital public services are reflected in its improved EGDI position.

The UN suggested nations, scoring very high in the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index, accelerate digital development by improving online services and human capital development.

This year’s edition of the survey presents Denmark, Estonia and Singapore as leading the 2024 digital government ranking of the 193 UN members states, scoring the highest when it comes to the scope and quality of online services, the status of telecommunication infrastructure and human capacity.

Runners-up in the highest digital rating class are Republic of Korea, Iceland, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Australia, Finland, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Spain and Bahrain. Regional leaders are South Africa (Africa), the US (Americas), Singapore (Asia), Denmark (Europe) and Australia (Oceania).

The survey shows that significant strides have been made to digital governance, boosted by investments in resilient infrastructure and cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, cloud computing and broadband. Yet, while digital transformation has sparked innovation and growth, particularly in the private sector, many countries still face hurdles in fully leveraging these advancements to enhance public services and participation, key components for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Owing to remarkable improvements in service provision and telecommunications infrastructure, the global EGDI average has increased overall with the proportion of the population lagging in digital government development decreasing from 45 percent in 2022 to 22.4 percent in 2024. This progress is largely due to significant advancements in Asia, and steady improvement in the Americas, where more countries have joined the very high EGDI group.

The report recommends countries digitalise all public services, improve telecommunications infrastructure, and legal environment for digital development, particularly such pioneering technologies as AI and cloud computing, and create favourable conditions for the public to engage in policy and decision making.