Speaking at the forum, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van said that in 2025, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW on the planning, construction, management, and sustainable development of Viet Nam’s urban system, which identifies specific objectives with six key groups of tasks and solutions.
Alongside the achievements in both quantity and quality of urban development, Viet Nam’s urban system continues to face major challenges, including rapid yet uneven urbanisation; growing pressure on technical and social infrastructure, the environment, and housing; increasingly evident impacts of climate change, natural disasters, and epidemics; and the urgent need to shift development models towards innovation and digital data-based approaches.
The forum aims to analyse and discuss the progress of implementing the Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW, while serving as a national policy dialogue platform for ministries, sectors, localities, enterprises, and international partners to share experiences and seek solutions under the central theme of “Developing Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Cities in Viet Nam.”
Discussions were organised around three thematic sessions:
Innovation as the driving force for urban development: reforming planning, investment, governance, and public service delivery towards smarter, friendlier, and more efficient cities.
Green growth and climate adaptation as an inevitable path: positioning cities at the heart of climate action, linking economic growth with environmental protection and social equity.
Modern planning and governance as the foundation for improving urban quality of life: moving towards a streamlined two-tier urban administration model that operates on digital data and better serves citizens and businesses.
Through this forum, the Ministry of Construction seeks to promote cooperation programmes and plans between central and local governments, between ministries and cities, and with international organisations and development partners.
Such efforts are expected to drive innovation and urban system development through enabling policies and mechanisms, unlocking resources, and fostering a spirit of creativity and technological application, thereby creating a breakthrough transformation from quantitative expansion to qualitative development. The goal is to use resources more efficiently, develop smart and climate-resilient cities, advance green transition, strengthen connectivity, and move towards sustainable development.
The Viet Nam Sustainable Urban Development Forum 2025 is an annual event held to celebrate Viet Nam Urban Day (November 8) and to actively respond to Viet Nam Law Day (November 9). This year’s forum received 37 papers, including 22 presented by speakers, and attracted more than 500 participants across its sessions and activities.
