Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam ranked 47th among 170 countries and territories assessed in the 2026 Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index (QI4SD), with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) recognising the country as one of those making significant progress in quality infrastructure.

According to the 2026 QI4SD, released by UNIDO at the Global Quality Forum 2026 in Vienna from November 4-6, Vietnam scored 52.8 points.

The QI4SD is an index developed by UNIDO and first released in 2022 to summarise the development of Quality Infrastructure (QI) readiness to support the Sustanainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The index is calculated based on 37 indicators covering standardisation, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment and policy.

In the QI4SD framework, QI does not refer to physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, factories or data centres. Rather, it comprises a system of institutions, regulations, standards, procedures and technical services designed to ensure that products and services meet quality, safety and environmental requirements. QI enables countries to measure, test and certify products and services, helping ensure their compliance with harmonised standards.

Compared with the 2024 assessment, Vietnam's score increased by 1.6 points, from 51.2 to 52.8. Its ranking, however, fell from 42nd to 47th, partly because the number of countries and territories assessed rose from 155 to 170.

This year, UNIDO for the first time analysed progress between assessment periods using a set of indicators harmonised in terms of methodology and data, known as the Harmonised QI4SD Index. The approach helps identify substantive improvements in individual components of a country's quality infrastructure system rather than relying solely on overall rankings. Due to changes in the coverage of countries, indicators and assessment methodology, aggregate scores from the two assessment periods cannot be directly compared as an absolute measure of progress.

In addition to its higher score, Vietnam was selected by UNIDO as one of the countries recording significant improvements in quality infrastructure during the 2024-2026 period, alongside Colombia, Iran, Nigeria and Uzbekistan.

A representative of the Commission for the Standards, Metrology and Quality of Vietnam described UNIDO's recognition as a positive signal for Vietnam's recent efforts to develop its quality infrastructure, underscoring the importance of coordinated investment in standardisation, metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment capacity.

As economies shift towards greener, digital and sustainable development, quality infrastructure is becoming an important foundation for improving product quality, ensuring safety, facilitating trade and supporting innovation.

The 2026 QI4SD results not only reflect Vietnam's progress but also highlight the need to translate improvements in quality infrastructure capacity into tangible benefits for businesses, people and the economy./.