Vietnam places people at heart of governance: official

Hanoi, July 10 (VNA) – All activities of the Vietnamese Party and the State are centred around the people, who are regarded as the ultimate recipient of service, Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Tinh told the Vietnam News Agency following his participation in the United Nations Human Rights Committee session in Switzerland on July 7-8.

The session saw the committee reviewing Vietnam’s fourth periodic report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

According to the official, Vietnam’s engagement with the committee demonstrated the country’s ongoing commitment to fulfilling its reporting obligations on the implementation of international commitments.

He affirmed that the two-day dialogue was successful. Notably, many of the issues raised by committee members were areas that Vietnam has also prioritised in recent years, including efforts to reform, improve legal institutions and policy frameworks, alongside related implementation. A shared concern highlighted by the committee, also a focus of Vietnam’s agenda, is the consistent pursuit of economic development in tandem with social progress.

The deputy minister stressed that Vietnam’s ongoing administrative streamlining reforms have clarified the country’s strategic governance approach. Specifically, the removal of intermediary and district-level units, restructuring of ministries and agencies, organisation of a two-tier local government model, clear delegation of authority to the grassroots level, and shift from pre- to post-audit mechanisms aim to enhance efficiency and better serve the public.

These reforms, he noted, align with the UN committee’s recommendations that Vietnam strengthen law enforcement and narrow the gap between legislative development and practical implementation.

The ICCPR, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1966 and in force since 1976, encompasses a wide range of civil and political rights for individuals. Since acceding to the ICCPR on September 24, 1982, Vietnam has achieved significant progress. The country’s 2013 Constitution marked a major milestone in evolving understanding of human rights and affirmed the responsibilities of organisations and individuals to recognise, respect, protect and guarantee these rights across all spheres of life./.