Vietnam Jumps 3 Places in Global Networked Readiness Index: WEF

Vietnam ranks 70^th of 134 economies in the Global Networked Readiness Index (NRI) 2008-2009 released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), three grades up compared with the ranking in 2008 and 12 grades from 2006.

 

The index is one of the most important factors to examine the readiness of a country’s economy forward ICT usage in both private and government sectors.

 

Vietnam saw the highest grade increase in ASEAN, followed by Singapore up one grade, ranking 4^th among 134 countries. Other ASEAN nations witnessed their grades down, including Indonesia down 8 spots to 84^th, Thailand down 7 grades to 47^th, Philippines down 4 grades to 85^th and Malaysia 2 grades to 28^th.

 

The Vietnamese government has made progress in improving ICT development environment and taken lead in ICT usage, the WEF said, proving the country’s incentives for IT development and increased numbers of legal document for ICT.

 

In its report, the WEF said that investing in telecom infrastructure and services could help improve the competitiveness and economic growth rate of a country.

 

The WEF recommended countries with low NRI do their best to improve the networked readiness.

 

Published for the eighth consecutive year, the WEF Global Information Technology Report is the world's most comprehensive and authoritative international assessment of the impact of information and communication technologies on nations' development and competitiveness. (Vietnam Economic Times, New Hanoi)