Cabinet discusses target programme for ethnic minority localities
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired a Cabinet meeting on April 24 that discussed an investment proposal within the National Target Programme on Socio-economic Development in Mountainous and Ethnic Minority Areas in the 2021-2030 Period.
Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucchaired a Cabinet meeting on April 24 that discussed aninvestment proposal within the National Target Programme on Socio-economicDevelopment in Mountainous and Ethnic Minority Areas in the 2021-2030 Period.
According to a report from the Government Committee forEthnic Minority Affairs, Vietnam is currently home to 14.1 million ethnicminority people, or 14.7 percent of the population. Mountainous and ethnicareas have seen rapid development over recent years but remain the mostdisadvantaged in the country.
The report proposed that the Programme be carried out in twophases in communes and hamlets where ethnic minority households make up atleast 15 percent of all households.
Total investment in the 2021-2025 period will reach 204trillion VND (8.68 billion USD at current exchange rate), and over 210.5trillion VND in the 2026-2030 period. Funding will come from central and localbudgets, policy credit, and other sources.
The Programme aims to cut the poverty rate in ethnic areas byover 3 percent each year to 2025 and bring it down to less than 10 percent ofthe population by 2030. The average income of ethnic minority households in2025 is to double that in 2019.
The Government Committee for Ethnic Affairs also proposed tenprojects in a range of fields. PM Phuc spoke of the Committee’s thoroughpreparations, adding that this is one of three major national target programmes.
He asked the Committee to avoid overlapping with othernational target programmes on building new-style rural areas and ensuringsustainable poverty reduction.
He agreed with a proposal to focus on assisting livelihoodsand improving the living conditions of ethnic minority groups. He highlightedthe need to take advantage of different sources of capital to develop theseareas rather than depending on the State budget.
The programme should identify specific solutions in resolvingthe lack of residential and cultivation land, housing, and water for daily use,he said.
Cabinet members also heard a report from the Ministry ofPlanning and Investment on completing the Prime Minister’s draft decision on alist of enterprises to divest before the end of this year, replacing the PM’sDecision No. 1232.
PM Phuc requested a careful review of divestment in certainareas and stressed that openness and transparency are paramount during theprocess, to prevent corruption./.
Plan International Vietnam has officially launched a six-month project worth 16 billion VND (682,000 USD) themed "Protecting ethnic minority children from the COVID-19 epidemic".
The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give top priority to the development of Vietnam–China relations. Vietnam is ready to work with the Chinese Party and State to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promote the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
Under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the CPV, President Cuong said, the press has been a steadfast force on the ideological and cultural front, rallying the masses to pursue national aspirations.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the need to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence and smart teaching equipment, innovate teaching and assessment methods, and further improve the quality of formal education.
He also pledged that the NA will promote its ongoing supervision, making sure that every promise must lead to results, and every commitment must bring about real changes.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien welcomed the proposals put forward by the US side and reiterated Vietnam’s request for consideration of key areas of interest, including reciprocal tariff policies and access for Vietnamese key export products to the US market.
Deputy PM Le Thanh Long proposed countries promote shared values, including building trust, sincerity, and solidarity among nations and peoples; fostering cooperation spirit and responsible behaviour as well as upholding international law and the UN Charter; and placing people at the centre and as the goal, the key player, and the driving force of all policies.
The show, together with a grand parade to be held silmutaneously at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, the National Day, and the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA).
In particular, in April 2023, the two sides successfully carried out a joint operation that dismantled a major organised, transnational drug trafficking ring involving both Vietnamese and Cambodian suspects.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel is closely coordinating with relevant local agencies to stay informed and provide the utmost support possible for Vietnamese nationals.
The launch of Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, even before the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is considered a testament to President Ho Chi Minh’s strategic foresight and strong belief in the guiding power of the revolutionary media.
New Zealand is currently one of Vietnam’s most important partners in the region, marked by a high level of political trust, strong and reliable defence and security cooperation, and increasingly open economic, trade, and investment ties.
Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that the Central Public Security Party Committee must be fully aware of the extremely important role of the People's Public Security force in the country's new revolutionary phase, so as to guide each branch and level of the force as the nation undergoes transformation.
Addressing concerns over university education spending, Son explained that as public universities gain greater autonomy, the Ministry of Finance has scaled back recurrent state funding. “Over the past decade, as autonomy has increased, the State's support has steadily declined”, he noted
Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane affirmed that the presence of Vietnamese press offices in Laos vividly demonstrates the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, as the press is not only a means of communication but also an important bridge for spreading consciousness about the history, values, and strategic depth of the Laos – Vietnam relationship to the people of both countries and the international community.
The country is willing to participate in collective efforts to promote cooperation and mobilise resources to advance the current priority issues of developing countries, such as trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity, making the most of scientific and technological advances for development, and people-to-people exchanges, Hang said.
During the negotiations, the US highly evaluated Vietnam’s goodwill and efforts, affirmed its appreciation for the bilateral relationship, acknowledged Vietnam’s proposals and concerns, and considered these an important basis for continuing discussions and moving towards a final agreement.
The Chairman stressed the need for stricter fiscal discipline, faster digital transformation, and more efficient management of State budget revenues and expenditures.
At the Cabinet meeting (Photo: VNA) 
