The HCM City government announced its digital data governance strategy by 2025 at the conference held on March 3. — VNA/VNS Photo Tiến Lực

The strategy, part of a cooperation programme between the city and the World Bank (WB) in the 2022-23 period, was launched at a conference held late last week.

It is expected to unlock data potential to better serve operations of local authorities, provide friendlier and more effective public services for people, raise productivity and step up innovations towards the comprehensive and sustainable development of the digital economy.

Speaking at the launch, the municipal People’s Committee Chairman Phan Văn Mãi said the city is developing this strategy thanks to the support of domestic experts, the WB and international friends.

The city has targeted becoming a digital economy, digital society, digital government and smart city by 2030.

“Building ‘digital data’ has been identified as a core element of smart-city development along with digital transformation in the city,” he said.

By 2025, the strategy will focus on developing three main data groups, including people (administrative, civil status, health, education, and welfare), finance-business (summary and statistics of budget revenue and expenditure, public investment management, enterprises and household businesses), and land-urban areas (geographical information, construction, transport, planning and architecture).

The city aims to form a database management system for land and construction, licensing, electronic medical records including patients' health-related data, and social welfare data.

Databases on the establishment and operation of enterprises and household businesses, budget spending and expenditure, and public investment disbursement will also be included.

All databases will be stored and managed at the city’s data centre.

Data management will help access high-quality data for accurate analysis and ensure that the data is secure and complies with regulations, Mãi said.

He called on the WB, the Australian Consulate General in HCM City and experts to continue assisting the city during the implementation process of the strategy.

World Bank Country Director for Việt Nam Carolyn Turk recommended the city pour more investment into building suitable institutions to manage data safely to maximise its value.

“Establishing an agency specialising in data management and digital transformation is important to ensure the effective implementation of the strategy,” she said.

The WB always stands ready to cooperate with the city, share its global knowledge, and offer consultancy by leading experts in the work, she said.

Australian Consul-general in HCM City, Sarah Hooper, said she expects the strategy to be put into place quickly and effectively, meeting the demand of local leaders.

It will help the city government make better decisions and contribute to the city’s development of a digital economy and digital society, she said. — VNS