Viet Nam records significant improvements in the 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) in Asia

Attending the Forum were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Vice President of HCMA and Vice Chairman of the Central Council on Theoretical Studies; representatives of central government agencies, international organizations, and foreign embassies in Viet Nam; leaders of departments and units under HCMA; the Board of Directors of APAG; as well as a large number of experts, scholars, managers, and domestic and international media representatives.

In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized that, in the context of deepening globalization and rapid digital transformation, the demand to enhance the effectiveness of state governance and to build a facilitative, integrity-based, action-oriented, and service-oriented government has become increasingly urgent. He noted that studying, engaging with, and applying advanced governance assessment indices, among them the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), is of great significance for academic research, training, and capacity building for cadres, and policy advisory and formulation activities.

In his welcoming remarks at the Forum, Mr. Lam Yi Young, Member of CIG Board of Directors, Former Deputy Secretary (Industry) in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), highly appreciated the close coordination between HCMA and APAG in organizing the event. He noted that Viet Nam is one of the standout countries in the region in terms of its commitment to enhancing public sector effectiveness and building a high-performance government. Viet Nam’s positive results in the 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), particularly in the pillars of leadership & foresight and financial stewardship, provided an important basis for CIG’s decision to select Ha Noi as the venue for the Asia Knowledge Sharing Forum. He affirmed that the Forum marks a milestone in expanding cooperation between CIG and its partners in Viet Nam, with a view to strengthening evidence-based knowledge sharing and promoting effective and sustainable public governance.

At the Forum, Mr. Dinesh Naidu, Director (Knowledge), CIG, presented an overview of the approach, structure, and key findings of the 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI). He noted that CGGI has been implemented by the Chandler Institute of Governance since 2021 to assess the capabilities and effectiveness of governments in 120 countries and territories, based on seven core pillars: Leadership & Foresight; Robust Laws % Policies; Strong Institutions; Financial Stewardship; Attractive Marketplace; Global Influence & Reputation; and Helping People Rise.

The 2025 CGGI results show that Viet Nam continues to make positive progress in improving national governance capacity, rising 12 places compared to 2021, from 60th to 48th position. Viet Nam is among the countries with the fastest improvement in governance capacity in the Asia-Pacific region, with progress recorded across six of the seven pillars of the Index. These results reflect recent efforts in institutional reform, streamlining the organizational apparatus, strengthening fiscal discipline, promoting digital transformation, and fostering innovation in public administration.

During the Forum, experts, scholars, and international delegates shared the common view that the CGGI serves as a useful reference tool, enabling countries to clearly identify their strengths and limitations in governance capacity, thereby supporting the formulation and adjustment of reform strategies in line with each country’s specific development conditions.

Within the program agenda, a roundtable session titled “Driving High Performance Government in Asia – Leadership, Financial Stewardship and Vibrant Economies” was held in an active and engaging manner, with the participation of domestic and international experts. The discussion focused on clarifying the roles of strategic leadership, effective public financial stewardship, and vibrant economies in enhancing government performance.

In his closing remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung affirmed that the Forum was an academic and practice-oriented forum of significant importance, contributing to strengthened academic exchange and international experience sharing on public governance. It also provided additional scientific support for research, training, capacity-building, and policy advisory activities in the fields of public administration and governance. The outcomes and recommendations discussed at the Forum constitute valuable reference materials that contribute to the goal of building a modern, professional, effective, and efficient public administration system that meets the country’s development requirements in the new phase.