Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has ordered a broad assessment to determine whether further consolidation of communes and wards is needed after one year of implementing the two-tier local government model.
Expanding administrative scale
The Department of Local Government has been tasked with examining the need for additional restructuring through the merger of selected communes and wards, VietNamNet reported.
The review will consider factors such as land area, population size, infrastructure conditions, staffing capacity, and future development needs.
It will also explore the feasibility of forming urban administrative units that could function as growth centres, helping to coordinate infrastructure investment, public services, and key economic zones.
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Reviewing commune-level performance
The Department of Civil Servants and Public Employees has been instructed to assess how commune-level authorities are performing under expanded responsibilities introduced by decentralisation reforms.
MoHA data cited by VietNamNet shows that only around 53% of provincial-level officials and about 30% of commune-level officials fully meet required standards for their roles.
MoHA noted wide disparities between communes in major cities and those in mountainous and disadvantaged areas, indicating the need for more flexible approaches to organisational structure and task assignment.
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Ensuring adequate resources for decentralisation
The Department of Organisation and Staffing has been assigned to evaluate whether local governments have sufficient human resources and funding to match the responsibilities transferred through decentralisation.
The review will also focus on budget allocation mechanisms, revenue-expenditure balance at commune level, and the effectiveness and autonomy of public service units following restructuring.
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Strengthening the public-sector workforce
MoHA has also called for research on improving administrative discipline and accountability while reinforcing the responsibility of agency leaders.
It further proposes reforms to performance evaluation systems, better identification and development of high-performing staff, and stronger mechanisms to attract and promote capable personnel suited to the demands of the next development phase.
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Levi Mora 
KC Maderia 
Newsjustnews writers