E-governance and digital transformation are becoming increasingly important and urgent in the COVID-19 pandemic time, emphasized Wiesen at the workshop on improving access to e-public services for citizens through the National E-services Portal, held in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue Friday.

She said that the construction of the National E-services Portal is a major step forward to the e-governance development in Viet Nam, adding the UNDP incorporated e-governance into the Provincial Governance and Public Administration (PAPI) two years ago.

Undertaking administrative procedures online is safe, convenient, low carbon and less opportunity for corruption, while citizens’ participation would play a key role in fostering and improving the quality of e-governance, according to Wiesen.

She suggested three solutions to further improve e-public services, including enhancing access to information and internet for citizens and paying attention to their feedbacks and demands.

Speaking at the workshop,  Ms. Robyn Mudie, Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam, expressed her belief that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to work out new working methods and the Vietnamese people have proved their capacity to adapt to this crisis.

It is admirable that the Government of Viet Nam has endeavored to innovate in order to protect the safety and health of their citizens from the pandemic, said Mudie.

The diplomat said the introduction of the National E-services Portal demonstrates Viet Nam’s constant determination to help more citizens and businesses access to online administrative procedures.

The Australian Government pledges to continue assistance for Viet Nam to further improve the efficiency of the National E-services Portal.

The portal at http://dichvucong.gov.vn consists of six components, namely national database on administrative procedures and the frequently asked questions and answers related to the procedures, on-time login and verification system to connect with ministerial and provincial-level public service portals, e-payment system, opinion section for citizens and enterprises, integrated public services of ministries, agencies and localities, and online supporting services.

Initially, it offered five online public services in all 63 provinces and cities, including issuance of driving licenses, announcement of promotion activities, reissuance of health insurance cards, provision of electricity services, and payment of electricity bills.

Moreover, it also provided four ministerial-level public services like issuing international driving licenses, registration for promotion activities, grant of certificates of origin of goods, and e-tax payment for businesses.

Now, the portal, which made debut on December 9 last year, is offering 750 online public services, of which 359 for citizens and 414 for businesses, said Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung./.