Vietnam Youth Union charts digital‑innovation push at 13th National Congress

The 13th National Congress of Vietnam’s Youth Union is set to prioritize digital transformation and innovation as the core of its agenda. Leaders highlighted the need to equip young people with digital, AI and entrepreneurial skills, linking technology‑savvy urban youth with counterparts in rural cooperatives. They underscored challenges such as limited funding, legal know‑how, management expertise and a shortage of dedicated Union staff following recent administrative mergers. Proposals include expanding the Union’s role as a bridge to capital, technology and expert networks, strengthening volunteer teams for local government support, and creating specific programs to assist mountain‑area and minority‑ethnic youth in starting businesses. The Union also aims to promote collective‑economy models, encouraging young leaders to run modern cooperatives that use e‑commerce and traceability platforms. These initiatives are presented as solutions to the pressure faced by Union cadres and as a way to harness youthful energy for Vietnam’s broader digital‑economy transition.