Vietnam government plans to reduce 5 ministries in streamlining effort

The restructuring plan was revealed at a conference held by the Party's Politburo and Secretariat on Dec. 1 to discuss the implementation of Resolution No. 18 from the 12th Party Central Committee, review the socio-economic situation for 2024, and propose solutions to accelerate development in 2025 while addressing institutional bottlenecks.

Le Minh Hung, Head of the Party's Central Organization Committee, said the government is exploring proposals to merge or eliminate several ministries, ministerial agencies, and other government bodies.

Under the proposals, the Ministry of Planning and Investment will merge with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Transport will combine with the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Information and Communications will merge with the Ministry of Science and Technology to manage digital transformation and state responsibilities related to science and technology while transferring some tasks to other ministries.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will merge with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with certain duties reassigned to other agencies, while the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs will be dissolved, with its responsibilities transferred to other ministries, Hung said.

Le Minh Hung, Head of the Communist Party's Central Organizing Committee, speaks at a conference in Hanoi, Dec. 1, 2024. Photo by Nhat Bac

The State Capital Management Committee will be dissolved, and its functions will move to the Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies. The National Financial Supervisory Commission will also cease operations, with responsibilities reassigned to the Ministry of Finance and the State Bank of Vietnam. The Religious Affairs Committee will be absorbed into the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, forming a new Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee.

The government also plans to restructure two Academies of Sciences and two national universities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to improve their research and training capabilities. Further mergers will include the National Academy of Public Administration and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

The model of general departments under ministries will be reviewed for potential dissolution, starting with key agencies like the State Treasury, the General Department of Taxation, and Vietnam Social Insurance.

Media organizations such as Vietnam News Agency Television, VOV Television, and VTC Television will cease operations, with their functions transferred to Vietnam Television (VTV).

These changes are expected to reduce five ministries and two government-affiliated agencies.

National Assembly restructuring

Hung also revealed plans to streamline the National Assembly, reducing four committees and one agency under the NA Standing Committee.

Mergers are proposed between the Economic and Finance Committees, the Social and Culture Committees, and the Judiciary and Legal Committees. The Foreign Affairs Committee will be dissolved, with its responsibilities transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other committees. The People's Petition Committee will be turned into the Monitoring and People's Petition Committee. The Legislative Research Institute will cease operations, and National Assembly Television’s functions will be transferred to VTV.

The National Assembly will no longer designate permanent or specialized members within the Ethnic Council and committees, with a chairperson, deputy chairperson, and full-time deputies handling these roles.

(From L, front row): President Luong Cuong, Party General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man at a conference in Hanoi, Dec. 1, 2024. Photo by Nhat Bac

Merging of Party committees' departments

The Party also plans to merge several of its committees and organizations.

The Central Propaganda and Education Committee will merge with the Central Mass Mobilization Committee, while the Central Foreign Affairs Committee will be dissolved. Other changes include transferring the responsibilities of the Central Health Care Committee for Party Members to the Ministry of Health and the Central Organization Committee. Several Party committees and mass organizations will cease operations, with responsibilities reassigned to other agencies.

The Party Committee for the Central Agencies will be dissolved, replaced by a new Party Committee for Central Party Agencies and the Central Judiciary, encompassing Party organizations within agencies like the Supreme People's Procuracy and the Supreme People's Court. The Party Committee for State-Owned Enterprises will be reviewed for dissolution, and its responsibilities will transfer to specialized ministries.

Similar changes will be implemented at the local level, with the consolidation of committees, agencies, and steering committees within provincial and district governments, Hung said.

He said all Party committees and agencies must complete their restructuring reviews and submit reports to the Steering Committee by Dec. 31, 2024. Final reports will be reviewed by the Politburo by Feb. 28, 2025, ahead of approval by the Central Party Committee in March.