Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Trung Tinh, on behalf of the Government of Vietnam, receives the GSMA Government Leadership Award 2026 from Mr. Julian Gorman, Head of Asia-Pacific at GSMA, within the framework of Vietnam International Digital Week 2026.
The GSMA Government Leadership Award 2026 was initially announced in March 2026 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC Barcelona 2026) and officially presented on the morning of October 28, 2026, during the Opening Ceremony of Viet Nam International Digital Week 2026.
The GSMA Government Leadership Award honors only one country worldwide each year. In 2026, Viet Nam stood out as the sole recipient, surpassing competing nominees.
Speaking at the award presentation, Mr. Julian Gorman, Head of Asia-Pacific at GSMA, highlighted that for the first time in the award's history, the judging panel reached unanimous consensus on conferring the honor to Viet Nam. He remarked that this moment not only celebrates a national achievement but also offers an opportunity to look ahead toward Viet Nam’s potential contributions to shaping the future of the global mobile industry.
Core pillars of success
The Head of Asia-Pacific at GSMA emphasized that Viet Nam was recognized not for a single project or isolated technology, but for a holistic approach that aligns national aspirations with policy directions, execution capability, and industry partnerships. He highlighted three core factors behind Viet Nam’s success:
Mr. Julian Gorman, Head of Asia-Pacific at GSMA, delivers his address at the award ceremony
Treating telecommunications as economic infrastructure: Demonstrated through the strategic expansion of broadband coverage and the accelerated rollout of 5G networks. These foundational assets are expected to boost business productivity, enhance access to public services, and bolster overall economic competitiveness.
Translating strategies into actionable growth conditions: Mr. Gorman commended Viet Nam’s policies on radio frequency spectrum management and network investment incentives, emphasizing that digital economy growth requires not only clear targets but also mechanisms that enable long-term corporate investment.
Adopting a human-centric approach: Community-based digital skills initiatives demonstrate that progress is measured not merely by network scale, but by practical opportunities for citizens to access and leverage technology.
Based on these achievements, the GSMA representative noted that Viet Nam is well-positioned to leverage its momentum to engage more deeply in shaping the global telecommunications landscape.
Mr. Julian Gorman recommended that Viet Nam maintain policies encouraging long-term investment, transform advanced connectivity infrastructure into novel industrial capabilities, strengthen cybersecurity and digital trust, and equip citizens with the skills needed to benefit from artificial intelligence (AI).
Furthermore, the GSMA representative highlighted international cooperation opportunities where Viet Nam can share policy-making experiences, support local engineers, enterprises, and innovators in technological development, contribute to global standards, and create scalable solutions for other markets.
The GSMA is a global organization representing the worldwide mobile ecosystem, unifying mobile operators and broader industry organizations across the telecommunications landscape. The GSMA Government Leadership Award recognizes world-class policies and regulatory approaches that foster mobile sector growth, expand connectivity, and drive socio-economic benefits through digital technologies.
