Key Takeaways
- Vietnam’s urban transformation requires stronger governance and a long-term vision to effectively develop smart cities.
- The country lags behind regional peers due to issues in planning, infrastructure, and limited social dimensions in technological implementation.
- Adopting a comprehensive national roadmap and focusing on integrated urban design is essential for creating sustainable, people-centered cities by 2050.
Professor Nguyen Quang Trung, co-lead of the RMIT Vietnam Asia Pacific Smart and Sustainable Cities Hub, emphasizes that Vietnam stands at a pivotal moment in its smart city development. While cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have initiated smart city programs, Vietnam continues to face significant challenges in infrastructure, governance, and urban planning.
Urban centers across Asia-Pacific, including advanced cities like Tokyo and Singapore, are evolving rapidly with data-centric, climate-smart innovations. Vietnam, with its fast urbanization and young population, has the potential to join this progress but must first address its fragmented governance and infrastructure shortcomings. Various local governments have launched initiatives, but low rankings in the IMD Smart City Index highlight the need for substantial improvement.
Building smart and sustainable cities requires Vietnam to adopt comprehensive strategies. This includes establishing a national roadmap based on a five-phase framework from the Asian Development Bank, focusing on diagnostics, readiness assessments, strategy development, implementation planning, and monitoring. A centralized body is essential to coordinate these efforts across government, industry, and academia.
By 2050, cities are expected to be flexible and data-driven. Professor Trung notes the importance of not merely focusing on technology but also emphasizing social factors like privacy and community well-being. Leadership, design, and talent development are critical for transforming urban areas into people-centered spaces.
Key immediate priorities include enhancing digital infrastructure, developing human capital, and bridging the digital divide. This can be fostered through ongoing administrative reforms aimed at streamlining local governance, thus enabling local authorities to innovate and collaborate more effectively.
Future investments should prioritize climate-resilient infrastructure and integrated public transit systems, as well as open data platforms. These elements are vital for resilience and inclusive growth, contributing to a sustainable urban framework.
Overall, the path forward for Vietnam’s urban future lies in its ability to embrace holistic and inclusive strategies, ensuring that cities evolve not just as technological hubs but as thriving, human-centered environments that nurture the aspirations of their citizens.
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