Vietnam makes progress in budget transparency: OBS report

Vietnam has made progress in transparency, public participation and budget oversight in 2023 compared to 2021, according to the latest Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2023 which has been released recently.

The OBS is the world’s only independent, comparative and fact-based research instrument that uses internationally accepted criteria to assess public access to central government budget information; formal opportunities for the public to participate in the national budget process; and the role of budget oversight institutions, such as legislatures and national audit offices, in the budget process.

The survey helps local civil society assess and confer with their government on the reporting and use of public funds.

This 9th edition of the OBS covers 125 countries. It was carried out every two years since 2012.

Regarding transparency, where the OBS measures public access to information on how the central government raises and spends public resources, Vietnam has a transparency score of 51 (out of 100). It is higher than the global average score of 45 and jumped 7 points compared to 2021. As a result, Vietnam ranks 52th out of 125 surveyed countries and territories, up 11 places compared to 2021.

Regarding public participation, which assesses the formal opportunities offered to the public for meaningful participation in the different stages of the budget process, Vietnam has a public participation score of 19 (out of 100), two points higher than 2021 and four points higher than the global average. With this score, Vietnam ranks 41st out of 125 surveyed countries and territories.

Concerning budget oversight, the survey examines the role that legislatures and supreme audit institutions play in the budget process and the extent to which they provide oversight. The legislature and supreme audit institution in Vietnam, together, provide adequate oversight during the budget process, with a composite oversight score of 82 (out of 100), up 2 points compared to 2021. Vietnam ranks 11th out of 125 surveyed countries and territories, as a result.