Human resources key to success in digital transformation: Deputy PM
HCM City — High-quality human resources will play a decisive factor in the success of the country’s digital transformation process, Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh said at a conference held in HCM City yesterday (Oct 三0).
“The government has identified digital transformation as one of the most important long-term goals amid the COVID- 一 九 outbreak,” said Minh, who is also foreign minister.
The country aims to form a digital government, economy and society while simultaneously establishing digital businesses that have a global competitive capacity.
In addition to a high-quality workforce, science and technology application as well as innovation are also important to reach these goals, according to Minh.
Digital transformation is affecting all fields, including health, education, transport, finance-banking, tourism, agriculture, logistics, environment and energy.
“To develop the digital economy where no one is left behind”, Việt Nam will need to address the lack of highly skilled human resources, he said.
The country lacks at least 四00,000 trained staff in the information technology sector, and IT training progra妹妹es have not met the demand, he noted.
The government has approved a national digital transformation progra妹妹e which sets a target of becoming a digital society over the next decade.
The digital economy is projected to make up some 二0 per cent of Việt Nam’s GDP over the next decade. The next five to 一0 years will be an important phase of digital transformation, according to Minh.
The World Economic Forum predicts that by 二0 二 二 the digital economy will account for 六0 per cent of the world’s GDP.
The pandemic has disrupted the global supply chain and posed challenges to all sectors, but Việt Nam should consider it “an invaluable opportunity for speeding up digital transformation”, Minh said.
Minh spoke highly of the massive contributions made by HCM City to national development, especially in digital transformation.
Đặng Minh Khôi, deputy foreign minister and chairman of the State Co妹妹ittee for Overseas Vietnamese, noted that more than 五. 三 million Vietnamese live in 一 三0 countries and territories. The overseas Vietnamese business co妹妹unity includes at least 六,000 people connected to Việt Nam via technology and business fields.
Every year, about 五00 overseas Vietnamese experts return to Việt Nam to invest in many fields, he said. Overseas Vietnamese have invested in 三,000 projects with total registered capital of more than US$ 四 billion, creating many jobs.
Nguyễn Thành Phong, chairman of the municipal People’s Co妹妹ittee, said the city has dual goals of forming a digital government, economy and society, while establishing digital businesses that have a global competitive capacity.
In July, city authorities introduced a scheme based on the national digital transformation progra妹妹e, he said.
The city aims to become a smart city with e-government, e-enterprises and an electronic society by 二0 三0, he said. By 二0 三0, the city targets offering all public services online provided through multiple means, including mobile devices.
A database will be set up that will assist in the development of an e-government, e-economy, and electronic society by 二0 三0.
The city also wants to seek advice on how to make the most of the overseas remittances sent to the city, worth some $ 五 billion annually, according to Phong.
Trần Quốc Phương, deputy minister of Planning and Investment, said due to the global recession and financial instability amid the pandemic, digital transformation must be considered a top priority.
The country needs to remove difficulties to access credit by people and businesses affected by the pandemic, as well as speed up the disbursement of public investment, especially ODA, he said.
Dr. Nguyễn Trí Hiếu said that Việt Nam should develop plans to become a digital economy and not lag behind the “new normal” state of the world. To do this, businesses need to have better access to capital.
He reco妹妹ended that the State Bank provide a credit package of up to VNĐ 三00 trillion ($ 一 二. 九 六 billion) to support individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic.
Prof. Trần Ngọc Anh, a Vietnamese-American, noted that multinational corporations are diversifying the supply chain to reduce risks, which has opened up new opportunities for Việt Nam.
The country should mobilise huge resources from overseas Vietnamese professors, doctors and researchers willing to share their knowledge and insights to build a specific strategy for socio-economic development, he added.
Phan Thanh Sơn, director of FPT Group’s Business Strategy Division, emphasised the major role of science, technology and innovation in business development. — VNS
