Ethnic and religious affairs play a strategic role in national development, and the entire sector must adopt new thinking and awareness to achieve faster and more effective progress, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung said during a national conference.

A call for modernized state management approaches

On March 31, Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung chaired a national conference reviewing Phase 1 (2021–2025) of the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, also known as Program 1719, and discussed proposals for Phase 2 (2026–2030).

Speaking at the event, Minister Dung emphasized the complexity and depth of ethnic and religious affairs, which require high standards and careful implementation. He highlighted that the overarching goal is to improve both the material and spiritual lives of people, especially ethnic minorities.

“The state must ensure equality, unity, and mutual support among all ethnic groups. We must encourage self-reliance and resilience to lift communities out of multidimensional poverty sustainably,” he said.

He also underscored the importance of upholding freedom of belief and religion, promoting harmonious religious practices, and encouraging religious leaders and communities to contribute to national development through civic engagement and patriotic campaigns.

Minister Dung urged the sector to shed any sense of inferiority: “We must foster new mindsets and perspectives in governance so that ethnic and religious affairs can advance more swiftly and strategically - for the people and in service of the people.”

Ethnic and religious affairs as a strategic force for sustainable growth

Ethnic and religious affairs, the minister said, are of strategic importance for any nation - particularly in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country like Vietnam. He described them as key drivers for sustainable and inclusive development.

He outlined key priorities for the coming years: concretizing Party and State policies into actionable laws; strengthening the organizational structure from central to local levels; and proactively advising on policy design and execution.

Referring to Program 1719, the minister said that six out of nine targets had been met in Phase 1 - an encouraging achievement considering the program's focus on the country's most impoverished regions. Poverty across Vietnam dropped from 60–70% in 1993 to just 1.93% in 2024. Among ethnic minorities, the poverty rate decreased by 3–4% annually.

"Vietnam is now one of the world’s top rice exporters and has been invited to present its poverty reduction achievements at international forums like the G7 and G20," the minister noted.

However, three challenging targets remain: resettlement and land allocation for ethnic households; improving infrastructure in particularly difficult communes (Region III) and villages; and reducing the number of communes and villages classified as extremely difficult (targeting a 50% reduction).

Shifting focus for 2026–2030

For Phase 2 of Program 1719, Minister Dung emphasized a focused approach: “No more fragmented investment. Focus on livelihoods, infrastructure, healthcare, and education.”

The ministry will concentrate on policy development, model implementation, oversight, and program evaluation. He stressed the need to decentralize authority and resource allocation, warning against requiring central approval for local-level projects.

Accelerating housing support for vulnerable populations

Minister Dung placed special focus on eliminating makeshift and dilapidated housing nationwide. Under Resolution 42, Vietnam aims to build one million units of social housing and eradicate all substandard homes by 2030.

The Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs has proposed completing a major milestone five years ahead of schedule - by 2025, the government aims to eliminate 400,000 substandard homes, including 100,000 for people with meritorious service, 153,000 funded by social sources, and the rest supported through national programs on poverty reduction and new rural development.

“If we achieve this by December 31, 2025, it will be a milestone - a true success story helping hundreds of thousands achieve stable housing and paving the way for Vietnam to eradicate poverty by 2030,” said the minister.

Khanh Hoa as a success story

Khanh Hoa Province is among the best-performing localities in implementing Program 1719. According to Deputy Chairman Le Huu Hoang, by the end of 2024, the province disbursed 87.3% of its allocated funds, surpassing multiple targets. The average income of ethnic minorities doubled compared to 2021, while the poverty rate declined by 7.2% annually.

All residents now have access to electricity and clean water. The mountainous districts of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh have officially exited the national list of poor districts.

Xuan Ngoc