Uruguay's National Data Policy: Lessons and Suggestions for Vietnam – Vietnam.vn

Data is increasingly becoming a crucial resource for government administration, economic development, and innovation. In response to the need to effectively utilize this resource, Uruguay has developed a National Data Strategy to 2030, aiming to establish a unified governance framework, develop infrastructure, and promote the use of data for development.
Uruguay was one of the first Latin American countries to establish a legal framework for personal data. In 2008, the country enacted Law No. 18331 on the Protection of Personal Data, which stipulates the principles for data processing and the rights of data subjects.
In addition, the Unit for the Management and Control of Personal Data (URCDP) was established to oversee law enforcement. In 2012, Uruguay was recognized by the European Union (EU) as having a comparable level of personal data protection, facilitating the transfer of data from the EU to the country.
Building upon that legal framework, Uruguay has gradually expanded its approach from data protection to data governance and exploitation for development. On December 26, 2024, the Public Sector Strategic Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Data adopted the National Data Strategy to 2030.
The development process was led by the Agency for E- Government and Information Society (Agesic), with the participation of representatives from state agencies, the private sector, social organizations, and research and training institutions.
The strategy aims to promote the strategic access to and use of data to support evidence-based decision-making, innovation, inclusive economic growth, and improved quality of public services.
Firstly, data governance. Uruguay recognizes the need to establish a unified national data governance and management framework, ensuring that data creation, integration, sharing, public disclosure, and exploitation are carried out responsibly. The focus is on improving coordination among agencies, clearly defining the responsibilities of each entity, and creating conditions for more effective data utilization.
During the strategy development process, public sector representatives raised concerns about difficulties in accessing and sharing data among agencies. The fact that collected data was not fully utilized for research and policy planning was also identified as a limitation.
Therefore, strengthening the interoperability between information systems and improving data sharing mechanisms are identified as key areas of concern. Simultaneously, data exploitation activities must comply with regulations regarding privacy, personal data protection, and the responsibilities of all stakeholders.
Secondly, develop data capacity and infrastructure. The strategy focuses on developing infrastructure, technology, and human resources to support the creation, storage, processing, and exploitation of data. This forms the foundation for government agencies, businesses, and research organizations to access and utilize data in their professional activities, scientific research, and the development of new products and services.
Besides the goal of infrastructure development, the minutes of the Public Sector Strategy Committee meetings on Artificial Intelligence and Data also noted issues related to investment options, such as building new systems, leasing services, or upgrading existing infrastructure. The need to ensure data processing capacity to support research and innovation was also raised.
In particular, the issue of digital sovereignty and the degree of dependence on external cloud computing services shows that Uruguay needs to simultaneously consider the balance between self-reliance, investment efficiency, and the requirement for information security.
Thirdly, leveraging data to serve national development. The strategy identifies data as a resource that can contribute to socio-economic development, improve the efficiency of state management, and enhance the quality of public services. Data exploitation is also oriented towards expanding into scientific research, technological development, and innovation, thereby creating additional value for various sectors of the economy.
One issue discussed in strategy-building meetings was the increased sharing and exploitation of data between the public and private sectors. The caution businesses still have when sharing data, as well as the demand for protection of personal information when using data in sensitive areas such as healthcare, indicates the need for appropriate mechanisms to balance data exploitation capabilities and privacy rights.
Therefore, expanding access to and use of data should go hand in hand with clearly defining the purpose, scope, and conditions of sharing, rather than focusing solely on data storage within each organization.
Uruguay’s national data strategy until 2030 shows that data development needs to be implemented synchronously across three aspects: governance, infrastructure, and exploitation. Based on this experience, Vietnam can learn from the following points:
First, it is necessary to strengthen the coordination and data sharing mechanisms among ministries, sectors, and localities. The development of national databases should be linked to common standards, regulations on update responsibilities, and a unified data exploitation mechanism. Besides investing in technical systems, it is essential to clearly define the coordinating agency and the responsibilities of the units directly managing the data, thereby limiting the situation of scattered, inconsistent, or inaccessible data.
Secondly, data infrastructure development must stem from actual usage needs. Besides data centers, storage platforms, and connectivity, emphasis should be placed on interoperability, processing capacity, and information security. The choice of self-investment, outsourcing, or a combination of both should be carefully considered based on economic efficiency, security requirements, and the goal of ensuring digital sovereignty.
Thirdly, it is necessary to promote the exploitation of data for scientific research, innovation, and economic development. Data managed by state agencies, when meeting legal and technical conditions, can become a resource for research institutions, businesses, and technology development organizations. At the same time, it is necessary to study mechanisms for data sharing between the public and private sectors, clearly defining the scope, purpose, and responsibilities of data use to encourage participation from all stakeholders.
Ultimately, data development must go hand in hand with enhancing human resource capacity and improving governance mechanisms. Beyond training technology experts, it’s crucial to strengthen the capacity of managers, businesses, and citizens to use, analyze, and exploit data. Regulations on personal data protection, access rights, and accountability also need to be effectively enforced to build trust in data sharing.
Uruguay’s experience shows that data only truly becomes a development resource when placed within a system with appropriate governance mechanisms, sufficient infrastructure, and effective exploitation methods. These are also issues that Vietnam needs to address in order to implement the National Data Strategy until 2030, aiming to build a connected, secure data ecosystem that creates practical value for socio-economic development.
References
[1] International Network of Privacy Law Professionals (2026), “Getting to know Uruguay and its data protection framework”, https://www.inplp.com/publications/getting-to-know-uruguay-and-its-data-protection-framework accessed November 9, 2026.
[2] Agesic (2024), Uruguay National Data Strategy 2030 (Version 1.0), https://us.laboratoriodelfuturo.net/readings/uruguay-national-data-strategy-2030-version-1-0-2024 accessed November 8, 2026.
DEPARTMENT OF GRASSROOT INFORMATION AND FOREIGN INFORMATION
MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM
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