Vietnam is showing no signs of slowing its march toward the digital transformation of its local economy, with state-owned enterprises (SOEs) tapped to lead from the front.
According to a report, Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged SOEs in the country to spearhead the nation’s digital transformation, setting a blueprint for other enterprises. Chinh reiterated plans at a meeting with SOE representatives keen on experimenting with emerging technologies in Hanoi.
At the last count, Vietnam has nearly 700 SOEs with a combined assets of US$216 billion. Apart from proprietary cash reserves, Vietnam’s prime minister says the government is willing to provide additional funding for digital transformation initiatives by the SOEs.
State-owned enterprises have indicated an interest in blockchain for increased transparency and smart contract automation. A common denominator across the board is SOEs’ concerted push for artificial intelligence (AI).
A cross-section of SOEs is pining for Big Data and Internet of Things (IoT) technology as part of their digital transformation efforts.
Several factors drive Vietnam’s national digital transformation ambitions, with Pham pointing to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and macroeconomic uncertainties.
As global superpowers embark on a trade war, Vietnam’s PM reiterates the need for self-sufficiency using emerging technologies. Chinh underscores the importance of diversification of its economy while warning against reliance on a single market.
Critics say that Vietnam’s SOEs are not in the best place to lead the charge for national digital transformation. They hinge their argument on the slow pace of adopting next-gen technologies, citing traditional red tape and bureaucracies.
Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyễn Đức Tâm noted that in order to live up to the government’s expectations, SOEs will need to improve operational efficiency while increasing capital allocations for digital technologies.
Vietnam’s push for digital transformation is nothing short of impressive, given the Southeast Asian country’s drive for innovation. Its largest city, Ho Chi Minh, is leading the way with a hefty investment in blockchain and AI.
Despite the rapid pace of development within its borders, Vietnam has its sights on regional dominance. To achieve its ambitions, the country is exploring partnerships with Singapore, Belgium and China to advance its digital transformation cause.
Morocco inks two deals to digitize healthcare
Elsewhere, Morocco has signed two high-profile deals to digitize its healthcare sector, eyeing the integration of emerging technologies into existing systems.
The country’s authorities are keen on digitally transforming its healthcare sector, tapping industry players to support the pivot. The partnership deals were signed at GITEX Africa 2025, the continent’s leading tech and startup show.
The first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involves a highly collaborative partnership between Morocco’s Ministry of Health and the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG) for next-gen tech integration. Although details are sparse, CDG DG Khalid Safir hinted at integrating AI and blockchain functionalities.
“We are making our technical expertise available to the Ministry to develop and implement digital systems, enhance service delivery, and support the overall governance of Morocco’s health information ecosystem,” said Safir.
A community reading of the MoU reveals plans by the CDG to roll out a digital innovation lab for Morocco’s Ministry of Health. Furthermore, the CDG will lead the design of digital solutions and equip staff with digital skills to power the transition.
The Ministry of Health hailed the partnership as a step in the right direction, noting that the move will improve the state of things in the health sector.
“It’s a partnership that allows us to do what we cannot do alone,” said the Ministry. “We’re working with the methods and codes of the digital sector to build a smarter, more efficient healthcare system.”
Health authorities inked another deal at GITEX Africa 2025 with the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sciences and Health. The new partnership will power the rollout of a new e-healthcare summit dubbed GITEX Future Health Morocco Africa to showcase innovative leaps with emerging technology on the continent.
The partnerships form part of a broader push by Morocco to integrate next-gen technologies into all facets of its local economy. Apart from health, the financial, manufacturing, and logistics sectors are recording impressive digital transformation.
Healthcare and emerging tech are peas in a pod
While the financial sector is receiving the bigger slice of the pie of emerging technology integrations, the healthcare vertical is also racking up impressive use cases. Several technology giants are coasting ahead to roll out AI-powered healthcare solutions in the coming months.
The global healthcare smart contracts market is tipped to reach a market capitalization of $10 billion, accentuating meteoric growth rates. On the other hand, Blockchain is doing impressive numbers in healthcare in Southeast Asia, with global market capitalization expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2034.
In order for artificial intelligence (AI) to work right within the law and thrive in the face of growing challenges, it needs to integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership—allowing it to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data. Check out CoinGeek’s coverage on this emerging tech to learn more why Enterprise blockchain will be the backbone of AI.
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