Gabriel Dibor

VIETNAM’S NEW ERA: IMPACT ON ECONOMY, GOVERNANCE, AND SOCIAL EQUITY BY 2030 INTRODUCTION August 2024 was a beautiful day but a very special one in Vietnam, as the General Secretary of the Communist Party announced plans to change every aspect of society. On August 29, 2024, To Lam, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, said that Vietnam would enter a new era, an era of rising up, constantly striving, and making greater contributions. This declaration urges citizens to help achieve the goal of turning Vietnam into a developed and high-income country where people live happily by 2045 (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News, 2024). There is strong political commitment and actions that created the evolved government (G. C. Vu & Vu, 2021). Vietnam has also become a symbol of peace, stability, and hospitality after facing many years of difficulties (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News, 2024). In addition, the economic recovery has helped people live better lives, but inequality between groups within the same province remains (Dang et al., 2024). For this reason, I think that the national rise announced by the general secretary is an era of social unity, new digital developments , and fair growth for the future. My essay will analyze how the CPV’s 2024 statement encourages digital progress, reforms government policies, and promotes equality (G. C. Vu & Vu, 2021; OECD, 2023; Nguyen et al., 2024). For the next five years, I believe that the CPV’s 2024 Declaration will lead to changes in economic policy, better government, and social equity, which will greatly improve Vietnamese governance, civil society, and the well-being of its citizens by 2030. HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXT In 1986, Vietnam started the Đổi Mới reforms by adopting a market-oriented approach instead of the Soviet-style planned economy (Vu-Thanh, 2015). Vietnam gradually opened up its economy and started working with other nations, changing from a closed country to one with ties to 193 countries (Chapman, 2018). Even though private enterprises were now officially recognized in the economy, the Communist Party still kept most of the power (Vu-Thanh, 2015). The country underwent many reforms to open its markets and joined major agreements that helped its economy grow stronger (Chapman, 2018). In 2021, the government understood that a digital transformation was necessary to boost the economy and integrate Vietnam into the global market (G. C. Vu & Vu, 2021). The party’s plans for growth have evolved through successive plans that guided comprehensive socio-economic priorities and social development (OECD, 2023). The Law on Enterprise was passed in 1999, which led to a fast expansion of the domestic private sector. In 2005, the business environment of Vietnam was made better and encouraged more competition among provinces (Vu-Thanh, 2015). Vietnam joining the WTO in 2007 was an important event that led to more trade and foreign investment (Chapman, 2018). More recently, the Socio-Economic Development Strategy- aims for upper middle-income status and pushes for greater use of digital technology (OECD, 2023). The government wants to make services and citizen engagement better by using digital tools and platforms (Nguyen et al., 2024). At the 13th National Party Congress in 2021, the party set a plan to achieve development in 2030, hoping for all citizens to enjoy a prosperous and happy life under socialism. In 2024, Secretary To Lam stated that the Party was determined to enter a new phase, which is an era of rising up. (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News, 2024). This continues the progress of previous Congresses and highlights the importance of self-reliance, digital change, and social fairness (Nguyen et al., 2024). It shows a commitment to raising Vietnam’s position among leading economies (OECD, 2023). POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL EFFECTS OF CPV’S 2024 DECLRATION Political Governance The 2024 declaration commits the CPV to “always consider serving the people as its way of life and goal” (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News, 2024), and this helps maintain accountability and discipline among its members (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News, 2024). Local branches must also join in making decisions so that policies are more in line with what matters to them. Leaders need to make sure that the people have real power by relating party decisions to what the public wants (Hien et al., 2024). The CPV takes steps to stop abuse of authority by conducting regular reviews and setting ethical codes. By doing this, trust and unity are strengthened since officials are expected to follow the party’s principles and what the base wants. To support generational renewal, the CPV acknowledges the “inertia of local government officials” as a barrier (G. C. Vu & Vu, 2021) and tries to bring in younger, more active cadres. As the government moves towards digital services, “e-government services are highly influenced by their perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use” (Nguyen et al., 2024), so the party will focus on implementing digital skills as it enters its new era of national rise. As Hien et al. (2024) state, cadres should make sure that “real power belongs to the people.” By rotating positions and mentoring, youth leaders will be equipped to help with modernization, and by emphasizing innovation, accountability, and responsiveness, the era of national rise will usher in a refreshed group of leaders. Economic Modernization and Quality Growth The country of Vietnam has shifted its focus to sustainable and fair development rather than only on quantity of output. The country is now included among the top 40 leading economies (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, 2024). Even so, there are huge differences in economies within provinces, which are three times greater than the differences between provinces (Dang et al., 2024). The solution, as proposed by reforms, is to lower state participation and increase competition in the market (OECD, 2023). Making administrative procedures easier is aimed at reducing the informality of small businesses (OECD, 2023). Such policies are designed to help areas with higher poverty, especially among the ethnic minority provinces (Dang et al., 2024). Sustainable growth is based on environmental sustainability with initiatives such as stopping new coal projects and speeding up the development of a carbon market with the purpose of ensuring that all citizens share in the economic growth (OECD, 2023). Vietnam is modernizing mainly through innovation and the digital economy. The government is working to improve e-government services to increase efficiency. Officials hope to achieve this by making sure data is synchronized and the system is not too complex, which should lead to more people using online services (Nguyen et al., 2024). The development of Ho Chi Minh City shows that digital government can make business transformation faster and help more citizens participate (Hien et al., 2024). Still, there are obstacles: not enough resources and the slow actions of local officials are slowing down the process (G. C. Vu & Vu, 2021). Solving these issues will call for investing in roads and railways, developing strong digital networks, training workers, and streamlining procedures (OECD, 2023). To modernize the economy, Vietnam needs to improve its infrastructure. The focus of Vietnam’s planned investments is on building better roads and railways and updating energy infrastructure. Also, improvements in network sectors, mainly telecommunications, will allow both private and public companies to compete on equal terms (OECD, 2023). Ho Chi Minh City’s efforts to become smarter show how better digital infrastructure helps improve public services and the economy (Hien et al., 2024). When regional differences are reduced, better transportation and logistics will help remote provinces reach markets, which supports the citizens and helps reduce poverty (Dang et al., 2024). Human Development and Social Equity In order to succeed in this new era, Vietnam would need to reform its education system and prepare its workers for digital roles. According to OECD (2023), “Both basic and advanced digital skills are lacking, and few students opt for academic courses in science and computing areas.” The government’s National Digital Transformation Program shows the need for vocational training and adult learning to address these gaps (Hien et al., 2024). If Vietnam updates its vocational programs and teaches digital literacy skills, it will be able to prepare its workforce for growing and evolving industries (G. C. Vu & Vu, 2021). The benefits of economic growth are not shared by all citizens in Vietnam. Dang et al. (2024) state that within a province, inequality was three times greater than inequality between provinces in 2020. Many provinces with a big ethnic minority population are very poor, and this makes poverty concentrated in specific regions (Dang et al., 2024). Better infrastructure in remote and rural areas can help lessen these differences. Therefore, in order to ensure inclusive growth, which is an attribute of the new era of the national rise, policies should focus on these unequal regions and help areas that are less developed (OECD, 2023). Also, the CPV believes no one should be left behind, so it is investing in social programs and infrastructure to help disadvantaged communities (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News, 2024). Furthermore, the aging population in Vietnam is already placing a huge strain on healthcare services, and this new era will try to mitigate the strain. According to the OECD (2023), “a rapidly aging population will also require more public spending on social benefits, including healthcare.” For this reason, the government has plans to build more healthcare facilities and train more doctors and nurses in rural parts of the country (OECD, 2023). Improving primary care and using digital tools and telemedicine can help reduce the gap in health care access (G. C. Vu & Vu, 2021). With a focus on preventive care and equality in health services, Vietnam can help improve healthcare for its citizens in the next five years (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News, 2024). CASE STUDIES Recently, I wrote an essay where I used two case studies to discuss how Vietnam is what I consider a good society and how a good society can be achieved through scientific socialism. I will also use those two case studies in this essay to discuss how I think the CPV’s 2024 declaration will bring about changes in economic policy, better government, and social equity, which will greatly improve Vietnamese governance, civil society, and the well-being of its citizens by 2030. Case Study 1: The HEPR Program In the late 1990s, Vietnam was burdened by progressive poverty in rural areas, especially among its children. To address this, the central government launched the Hunger Eradication and Poverty Reduction (HEPR) Program in 1998. The Hunger Eradication and Poverty Reduction (HEPR) Program is a flagship of the National Targeted Programs, launched in 1998 by the central government and relevant ministries and implemented locally by provinces, districts, and communes (the lowest local government level) to alleviate the poor (Bertoni et al., 2025). Through the government’s inclusion of HEPR in the fabric of grassroots governance, Vietnam managed to combine community insight with state-led planning and redistribution. By placing priority on children, the HEPR gave free health insurance, tuition exceptions, subsidies, and loans for children living in poverty, and this directly targeted intergenerational poverty (Wong 2020). Qualitative data evaluations by Bertoni et al. (2025) showed that when treated at age 8, children have a 9.9 percentage point higher likelihood of enrolling in school, thus reinforcing the value of early academic intervention. Examining the CPV’s 2024 Declaration, which highlights social fairness and innovation, I anticipate that poverty reduction activities will grow. The Declaration’s emphasis on evidence-based policy matches HEPR’s approach. For the next five years, improved monitoring, following the Declaration’s reforms, could help make sure children in rural areas get interventions very early. In addition, the 2024 Declaration about entering a new era was followed by a 2025 decision by the Political Bureau to eliminate tuition from preschool to high school for all students (VOV, 2025). By 2030, I expect hunger eradication programs and educational reforms to become stronger because of larger budgets and better cooperation between national directives and the local councils. Because of this connection, more students will remain in school, rural poverty should decrease, and Vietnam’s social safety net should become more inclusive. Case Study 2: The Đổi Mới Reforms Vietnam’s Đổi Mới reforms of 1986 emerged after the Soviet-style centrally planned economy fell into a serious crisis that challenged the legitimacy of the Communist Party’s leadership (Vu Thanh, 2015). Vietnam’s leaders faced economic collapse and food shortages and began market-oriented reforms to remove self-imposed barriers, liberalize domestic markets, and encourage foreign investment (Tuan, 2009). Đổi Mới’s impact was dramatic, and poverty rates plummeted, making Vietnam removed from the list of the world’s poorest countries (Nguyen, 2022). Average annual growth was around 6.5 percent in the first two decades, and rice exports increased from 1.4 million tons in 1989 to 4.7 million tons in 2008 (Tuan, 2009). Đổi Mới also reconfigured the party-state’s relationship with the private sector institutionally (Vu-Thanh, 2015). I expect that the political happenings accompanied by the 2024 Declaration under the CPV will bring another round of Đổi Mới-style reforms to help sustain economic momentum and equity by 2030. According to OECD (2023), “Vietnam needs to make additional efforts to advance structural reforms that will further strengthen market forces.” This reiterates the importance of market competition and mirrors Đổi Mới’s aim to open up overly regulated sectors. In the next five years, I anticipate changes that lower the role of the state in network industries (telecommunications, energy), as OECD (2023) calls for “a level playing field among all firms.” If the right policies are implemented, I expect encouragement of more private capital to be invested in digital infrastructure, which is a key priority for Vietnam as identified by G. C. Vu and Vu (2021). With this literature-backed evidence, I can comfortably say that by 2030, the political happenings brought about by the CPV’s 2024 declaration will ensure that living standards will continue to rise and differences among people will shrink. This change will be attributed to stronger markets, better governance, and increased involvement of the civil society as Vietnam moves forward in its new era of growth. RISKS, CHALLENGES, AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES Vietnam’s fast economic development has led to more emissions, and coal being used for most of its electricity only makes the problem worse. Viet Nam’s greenhouse gas emissions have grown faster than its GDP, and the country is one of the biggest emitters. Coal-fired plants now supply most of the electricity, but the government wants to use less coal in the future and will not invest in new coal plants after 2030. The CPV can achieve both fast growth and environmental protection over the next five years by using both market strategies and subsidies for green technology (OECD, 2023). Even though poverty has decreased considerably, there is now more inequality, and the poor are often separated from the rest of the population in certain provinces that have a bigger ethnic minority population (Dang et al., 2024). If the benefits of the new era do not reach everyone equally, such spatial differences could lead to increased social tension. If most employment and services are found in cities, youth may feel that they have little chance of finding opportunities. Civil society also has to deal with state-led attempts to control the narrative. Since 2010, the government has faced more challenges from civil society, and it now sees any critical voices as counter‐development forces (Vu & Le, 2022). One way to address these issues is for the CPV to support poverty‐alleviation efforts in provinces that have many ethnic minority people and to increase vocational training for rural youth (Dang et al., 2024). Reducing barriers to civic action and creating real ways for people to share their views can build a united community. Development should serve human beings, not simply make profits (Hien et al., 2024). Vietnam’s move toward digitalization could lead to workers without digital skills being replaced. Few students take digital classes and many advanced digital skills (OECD, 2023). At the same time, “limitations of human and financial resources as well as the inertia of the local government officials” prevent a perfect digital government implementation (G. C. Vu & Vu, 2021). If nothing is done, automation and e‐government services could increase the gap between urban and rural areas and make it harder for many to find stable work. To prevent displacement, the CPV should invest in expanding vocational and adult learning programs that suit digital government needs. “Viet Nam needs to upgrade worker skills by improving vocational training and adult learning” (OECD, 2023). In addition, the government should focus on digital infrastructure and e‐services that are accessible on mobile devices so that both rural and informal workers can use new platforms (Nguyen et al., 2024). If Vietnam pairs infrastructure development with subsidies for training, it can use digital technology without leaving vulnerable people behind (Nguyen et al., 2024). OUTLOOK: FIVE-YEAR TRAJECTORIES -) By 2030, Vietnam wants to achieve development goals that include raising living standards and becoming a high-income country (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News, 2024). The percentage of public services available online will be a major KPI, showing the government’s effort to make e-government simpler and more efficient (Nguyen et al., 2024). Also, the number of core services available through mobile apps should meet certain standards, which would show how much digital government has advanced (G. C. Vu & Vu, 2021). Macroeconomic milestones include being ranked among the top 40 in the world and having Vietnam’s trade volume ranked in the world’s top 20 (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Government News, 2024). Besides looking at the country’s poverty levels in a general view, it will be important to reduce the inequality that exist within provinces. Finally, to help achieve environmental sustainability targets, policies implemented like that of stopping new coal investments by 2030 will be carefully monitored (OECD, 2023). From 2025 to 2030, the new era ushered in by the general secretary will bring about major changes across Vietnam. Placing emphasis on innovation and digital transformation will boost the high-tech sector and make the economy more diverse and able to withstand challenges. As infrastructure and smart city projects grow, both urban and rural places will experience better internet access and economic opportunities for all. I predict that more money will be put into improving education and healthcare, which should help reduce disparities between provinces and raise living standards. Because of the party's focus on green development, environmental policies are expected to get stronger, encouraging businesses and communities to adopt sustainable ways, which will raise the quality of life. I think that reforms in governance will make the government more transparent and encourage citizens to take part, leading to more trust between people and authorities. At the same time, Vietnam will increase its involvement globally by forming important partnerships, which will raise its standing in ASEAN and other regions. By 2030, I see a nation where technology is advanced, people are united, and the country is more involved globally. The political happenings of a new era will shape our lives, jobs, and interactions as we move forward. CONCLUSION Looking back on the general secretary’s 2024 declaration gives me confidence in Vietnam’s future. By concentrating on economic changes, better government, and social fairness, Vietnam is on the path to great progress and unity that will greatly improve its governance, civil society, and the lives of its people by 2030. When education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability are improved, Vietnam can bridge the economic and social gaps between all communities. The 2024 declaration is just a promise, but a detailed plan that inspires Vietnam to become stronger, more united, and ready to take advantage of new opportunities. REFERENCES Chapman, N. (2018). Vietnamese Foreign Policy: Memory and Learning in the Doi Moi Era [PhD dissertation]. Graduate School of International Relations of the International University of Japan. Dang, H. H., Dhongde, S., N, M. N., DO, Nguyen, C. V., & Pimhidzai, O. (2024). Rapid economic growth but rising poverty segregation: Will Vietnam meet the SDGs for equitable development? Review of Development Economics. https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.13175 Haenig, M. A., & Ji, X. (2024). A tale of two Southeast Asian states: media governance and authoritarian regimes in Singapore and Vietnam. Asian Review of Political Economy, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s- Hien, D. 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