On the morning of February 18, during the 9th extraordinary session, the National Assembly approved the government’s new organizational structure for the 15th term and confirmed the number of cabinet members for the same period.
Later that afternoon, the National Assembly voted to approve the Prime Minister’s nominations for cabinet positions for the 2021–2026 term, including the appointment of the Minister of Science and Technology.
Formation of the new Ministry of Science and Technology
Nguyen Manh Hung, newly appointed Minister of Science and Technology. Photo: National Assembly
The new Ministry of Science and Technology was created by merging the former Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Information and Communications.
The new ministry inherits the core functions and responsibilities of both entities.
Media and publishing oversight has been transferred from the Ministry of Information and Communications to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
Nguyen Manh Hung, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, has been appointed as the new minister.
A streamlined ministry with reduced departments and personnel
Following the merger, the new Ministry of Science and Technology now operates with 26 key departments, a reduction of 16 units compared to the two separate ministries, representing a 38.1% decrease in organizational size.
The total workforce of the new ministry includes: 1,072 civil servants, 2,312 public employees.
Previously, the former Ministry of Science and Technology had three deputy ministers, as did the Ministry of Information and Communications.
On February 17, former Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat was reassigned by the Politburo to serve as Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Propaganda and Mass Mobilization.
A key ministry for implementing Resolution 57
On December 22, 2024, the Politburo issued Resolution 57, outlining Vietnam’s strategy for breakthrough advancements in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.
General Secretary To Lam, head of the Central Steering Committee for Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, emphasized the importance of this initiative:
“Developing science, technology, and innovation is the key to national progress. It is the decisive factor in making Vietnam a strong, prosperous nation in the new era.”
At the Ministry of Information and Communications’ 2024 review meeting, Nguyen Manh Hung described the newly merged Ministry of Science and Technology as the central force in executing Resolution 57.
He likened Resolution 57 to Resolution 10, a policy introduced 40 years ago that revolutionized Vietnam’s agricultural sector.
Resolution 10 helped lift Vietnam out of poverty through agricultural reforms.
Resolution 57 aims to lift Vietnam out of the middle-income trap by focusing on science, technology, and innovation.
Hung envisions Vietnam transitioning from a country that lacks innovation to one that not only meets its own technological needs but also exports high-tech solutions worldwide - similar to the country’s success in agriculture exports.
“Resolution 10 liberated labor; Resolution 57 liberates creativity.”
He stressed that both resolutions share a common principle:
Management should focus on objectives, not control methods.
Decision-making power and accountability should be delegated to professionals.
Those who contribute should benefit directly from their innovations.
Under Mr. Hung’s leadership, the new Ministry of Science and Technology is expected to play a pivotal role in Vietnam’s future as an innovation-driven economy./.
