On the morning of August 13, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a nationwide conference to summarize the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021-2025 and to outline the content for the period 2026-2030.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh spoke at the conference. Screenshot image.

The conference was held in person at the Government Headquarters and connected online with 34 provinces and cities across the country. Co-chairing the conference were Politburo member, Secretary of the Central Party Committee, and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Do Van Chien; Politburo member, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, Head of the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programs; Central Party Committee member, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh; and Central Party Committee member, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh. The conference was attended by leaders from various ministries, sectors, and central agencies, as well as leaders from provinces and cities, ambassadors, and representatives of international organizations in Vietnam.

At the Dak Lak provincial venue, attendees included Ta Anh Tuan - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Nguyen Thien Van - Deputy Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; and leaders from relevant agencies and departments.

Target Programs for the period 2021-2025, as of now, 6 out of 9 target groups of the program for the period from 2021 to 2025 have achieved or exceeded the set plans. Notably, the poverty reduction rate in ethnic minority areas has averaged 3.4% (with a target of over 3%); the average income of ethnic minorities reached 43.4 million VND per year, an increase of 3.1 times compared to 2020 (with a target of over 2 times). The target group for vocational training for the working-age population that meets the needs and conditions of ethnic minorities and the specific characteristics of ethnic minority and mountainous areas has achieved an average of 54.8% (with a target of over 50%). Currently, there are 3 target groups that have not been met, including: improving technical and social infrastructure in particularly difficult communes and hamlets in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; the number of communes and hamlets that have exited the particularly difficult area; and the resettlement and stabilization work.

The conference scene at the Dak Lak provincial venue.

In Dak Lak province, the current population is over 3.34 million people, of which more than 838,000 are ethnic minorities, accounting for 25.06%. To date, the province has provided land support for 58 households, housing support for 1,866 households, and dispersed water supply support for over 17,285 households; supported vocational training, and purchased agricultural machinery for 747 households; invested in the construction, repair, and upgrading of 16 centralized water supply projects;  supported the paving and upgrading of 290 kilometers of rural roads; and supported the construction of 361 projects to promote production development and diversify livelihoods in communes in region III and particularly difficult hamlets, with 5,228 households participating.

In recent years, the implementation of the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021-2025 in the province has contributed to  transforming rural areas in ethnic minority and mountainous regions, improving the living standards of the people, and contributing to the socio-economic development of the locality.

Localities attending the conference. Screenshot image.

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh praised the contributions and acknowledged the results achieved during the first phase (2021-2025) by the entire political system, various levels, sectors, and localities in implementing the program.

Regarding the guiding viewpoint and understanding, the Prime Minister emphasized that the development of the economy, culture, and society in ethnic minority and mountainous areas is not only the responsibility and obligation of the entire political system, various levels, and sectors, but also a profound sentiment, a command from the heart, embodying high humanitarian values, affirming national solidarity and mutual support, ensuring that no one is left behind; therefore, no matter how difficult, it must be done; the greater the pressure, the greater the effort; and once carried out, it must yield concrete, measurable results.

In the coming time, amidst many difficulties and challenges from both subjective and objective causes, the Prime Minister emphasized that the overall goal is to be more proactive,  to implement the Party’s guidelines, State policies and laws, and the leadership of the Politburo, the Secretariat, and General Secretary To Lam to continuously improve the material and spiritual life of the people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, ensuring that each year is better than the last, and each term is better than the previous one; creating a movement and trend for people to be self-reliant and self-sufficient in escaping poverty and becoming prosperous.

Regarding specific goals, the Prime Minister emphasized that agencies should ensure equal access to education, healthcare, culture, and national resources; create more jobs and sustainable livelihoods for the people; and set goals that are practical, specific, feasible, understandable, implementable, and easy to monitor and evaluate, with the spirit of leaving no one behind in the country’s development process.