Party conference evaluates state apparatus streamlining gains

In his opening remarks, Le Minh Hung, Politburo member, Party Central Committee Secretary and Head of the Party’s Organization Commission, stated that the implementation of Resolution 18 has achieved some important results, creating positive changes in the renewal and restructuring of the administrative apparatus, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the activities of agencies and organizations within the political system.

However, he pointed out that the restructuring of the administrative apparatus has not been synchronized due to a lack a comprehensive approach. It has not been closely linked with downsizing the workforce, as well as the restructuring and improvement of the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees.

The organizational apparatus of the political system remains bulky, with many layers and multiple levels of authority. The functions, tasks, power, and working relationships of many agencies and organizations are still unclear, with overlapping responsibilities. The decentralization and delegation of power to localities are still not synchronized and not reasonable, failing to meet the requirements and tasks of the new phase.

Talking about causes, he said the overall organizational model of the political system has not been fully perfected. The awareness and actions of Party organizations, leadership collectives, and heads of some agencies, organizations, and localities have not been complete, with insufficient determination and lack of decisive actions.

To meet the requirements and tasks of a new development era, the era of national advancement, he stated the Party Central Committee and the Politburo have reached a high level of consensus with a strong political determination to promptly and comprehensively review Resolution 18 across the entire political system. The Politburo holds that restructuring and perfecting the organizational apparatus of the political system to be lean, effective, and efficient is an extremely important task. It describes the task as a revolution that requires full agreement in terms of awareness and action throughout the Party and the entire political system.

The Politburo upholds the principle of one agency performing many tasks, with each task assigned to one agency, thus completely eliminating overlaps in functions and tasks, as well as fragmentation in administrative areas and sectors. Agencies and organizations that have been restructured initially should also be reviewed and proposed for further adjustments, and there must be a decisive elimination of intermediary organizations.

Hung stressed that reforming the administrative apparatus must be linked to implementing the Party’s guidelines on renewing leadership methods, with a focus on enhancing the Party’s leadership and ruling capacity, as well as the decentralization and delegation of power to localities, waste prevention, digital transformation, and the socialization of public services.

It must also be connected to restructuring and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees to ensure they possess the necessary qualities and capabilities to meet the tasks of the new era.

The new apparatus must be better than the old one and begin operation immediately, without negatively impacting the normal activities of society or the people, stressed the Party official.

The conference, which was virtually connected to local Party organisations with the participation of more than 1.3 million Party members, also looked at the socio-economic situation in 2024, and solutions to accelerate socio-economic development in 2025, and address bottlenecks and institutional barriers.