Ethnic work in 2023 achieved many important results

Conference scene.

On the afternoon of January 2, in Hanoi, the Ethnic Committee held a national online conference to review ethnic work in 2023 and deploy tasks for 2024.

Comrades: Tran Luu Quang, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister; Hau A Lenh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Committee attended and chaired the Conference.

Also attending were comrade Luong Tam Quang, member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Minister of Public Security; alternate members of the Party Central Committee; representatives of leaders of central departments, ministries and branches; leaders of the Committee and leaders of departments and units under the Ethnic Committee.

At the local bridge points, there were representatives of leaders of Provincial and Municipal Party Committees, leaders of People's Committees, leaders of Ethnic Committees, ethnic affairs agencies, leaders of a number of departments, branches and sectors of 53 provinces and cities in ethnic minority and mountainous areas across the country.

Delegates attending the Conference.

Ethnic work achieved many important results.

At the Conference, Comrade Nong Thi Ha, Deputy Minister, Vice Chairman of the Ethnic Committee presented a summary report summarizing ethnic work in 2023 and deploying tasks in 2024.

Accordingly, in 2023, the domestic economic situation will continue to fluctuate, become complicated and unpredictable, with opportunities, advantages and difficulties, challenges intertwined, but the difficulties and challenges are more numerous than forecast. The consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and the negative impacts of the world economy have affected our country, including ethnic minority and mountainous areas. The challenges of climate change, natural disasters, epidemics, etc., are increasingly large, affecting production and people's lives.

With the drastic direction and management of the Government and the Prime Minister, the Ethnic Committee has closely followed the resolutions of the Party, the National Assembly, the Government, and the direction of the Prime Minister to focus on directing and concretizing them into ethnic plans and programs, with specific goals and contents, striving to implement.

Deputy Minister, Vice Chairwoman of the Ethnic Committee Nong Thi Ha presented the Report at the Conference.

The Ethnic Committee identified 2023 as the pivotal year of the 5-year plan 2021-2025, a very important year in successfully implementing the goals of the period. Therefore, from the beginning of the year, the Ethnic Committee has focused on directing and operating, effectively coordinating with ministries, branches, central agencies and Party committees at all levels, local authorities in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, regularly paying attention to and organizing the implementation of ethnic programs and has achieved important results, basically achieving the set goals, actively contributing to the socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas in particular and the whole country in general.

Under the direction of the Government and the Prime Minister, the strong participation of all levels and sectors, and the efforts of ethnic people in synchronously implementing 188 policies in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the lives of people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in 2023 will be increasingly stable and gradually improved.

Some provinces estimate that the poverty rate in 2023 will decrease rapidly, such as: An Giang will decrease by 11.3%, Quang Nam will decrease by 10.4%, Quang Tri by 6.73%, Ha Giang by 5.96%... In the provinces and cities of Hanoi, Can Tho, Dong Nai, and Long An, the poverty rate will be less than 1%; Quang Ninh province will have no more poor households according to the Central poverty standard by the end of 2023.

Regarding the results of implementing the poverty reduction target in 2023, according to the report of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs: The estimated poverty rate according to the multidimensional poverty standard in 2023 is 2.93% (down 1.1%); the poverty rate in poor districts is about 33% (down 5.62%); the poverty rate of ethnic minority households is about 17.82% (down 3.2%), achieving the target assigned by the National Assembly and the Government; it is expected that by the end of 2023, 09 more communes will be recognized as having completed the target of building new rural areas, a total of 10/54 communes, reaching about 18.5% compared to the target of 30% according to the target assigned by the National Assembly, the Government, and the Prime Minister.

In addition, the socio-economic infrastructure system has been strengthened, gradually developing production, improving the lives of ethnic minorities. Economic structure and suitable crops and livestock have been shifted. Many models, typical production and effective business cooperation in ethnic minority areas have been created and replicated. Many localities focus on improving the quality of high-quality products. The number of communes with products according to OCOP standards is increasing... Social security work in ethnic minority and mountainous areas has been well implemented...

Regarding culture-education-health, in 2023, cultural work, preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities will continue to be facilitated for investment and development. Information and propaganda work in ethnic minority areas will be focused on.

Delegates attending at local bridges.

Education, vocational training, career guidance for ethnic minority youth, and preferential loan policies for household economic development are actively implemented. Investment continues to be made in the school system, facilities, and teaching and learning equipment; policies and regimes for ethnic minority managers, teachers, and students are fully, promptly, and in accordance with regulations... Medical care, health care, medical examination and treatment, disease prevention, and food safety continue to be focused on and implemented.

In 2023, the political security situation and social order and safety in ethnic minority areas are mostly stable. Religious activities take place normally. Religious establishments, religious beliefs, dignitaries and officials actively participate in propagating and mobilizing compatriots and followers to comply with the Party's policies and the State's laws.

Anti-state propaganda activities have calmed down; however, in some places, hostile and reactionary forces continue to take advantage of ethnic and religious issues to carry out "peaceful evolution" plots, propagate illegal religions, and use social networks to spread information to create public disagreement...

According to the general assessment of the Ethnic Committee, in 2023, the Government, the Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Ministers have closely and resolutely directed and promptly issued legal documents and administrative documents. The Ethnic Committee and central and local ministries, departments, and branches have coordinated more closely and effectively, most notably in the coordination in removing difficulties and obstacles and guiding the implementation of national target programs...

The Ethnic Committee has coordinated with ministries and branches to effectively perform the state management function on ethnic programs, continue to develop and complete projects to concretize the Resolutions of the Party, National Assembly, Government...

Central ministries and branches have been active and proactive in directing and implementing the ethnic program and coordinating with the Ethnic Committee to effectively carry out assigned tasks...

In addition to the advantages, the implementation of ethnic work and ethnic policies in 2023 in localities also faces many difficulties and obstacles due to the impact of weather and natural disasters; the direction and operation work is sometimes slow, the quality of advice is not high; the implementation of ethnic work in localities is still confused about the mechanism, slow implementation, and low disbursement rate...

Continue to promote ethnic work in 2024

Based on the results achieved in 2023, in order for the 2024 Work Program to achieve the set goals, the Ethnic Committee focuses on directing and implementing well a number of key tasks, including:

Firstly , implement Resolutions, Directives, Conclusions of the Party, National Assembly, Government, and directives and management documents of the Prime Minister related to the ethnic program.

Second, direct and implement projects in the 2024 work program submitted to the Politburo, Secretariat, National Assembly, National Assembly Standing Committee, Government, and Prime Minister on ethnic programs.

Third, promote good implementation and fundamental changes in the progress and quality of the three national target programs, focusing on the National Target Program for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas.

Fourth, all levels and sectors should strengthen monitoring and grasping the situation in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, especially remote and border areas; promote propaganda and dissemination of ethnic programs and policies to ethnic minorities...

At the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang awarded the Third Class Independence Medal to comrade Luu Son Hai, former Deputy Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Ethnic Committee.

Fifth, continue to review, revise, supplement or replace ethnic programs and policies to ensure consistency and synchronization of policies for the 2021-2030 period.

Sixth , grasp, receive and respond to voters' petitions and questions from National Assembly Deputies at sessions; develop a report summarizing the results of handling petitions related to the implementation of ethnic programs and ethnic policies.

Seventh , urge and inspect localities to successfully organize the 4th Provincial and District Ethnic Minority Congress.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang awarded the Third Class Labor Medal to comrade Le Tuan Ha, former Deputy Director of the Digital Transformation Center, Committee for Ethnic Minorities.

In addition, continue to implement the plan to rearrange the organizational mechanism of departments and units under the Ethnic Committee; continue to carry out administrative reform, digital transformation, strictly implement the information, reporting regime, and provide timely and accurate information to serve the direction and administration work.

At the Conference, in order to comprehensively assess the results achieved in implementing ethnic work and ethnic policies nationwide, representatives of leaders of departments, ministries, branches, provinces and cities reported additional information and clarified the situation of ethnic minority areas; the implementation of ethnic programs and policies in 2023; highlighted some results as well as difficulties and problems that need to be solved.

Due attention should be paid to ethnic work.

Speaking at the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang affirmed: In 2023, ethnic work has received special attention and has also achieved many very encouraging results. Many good ways and models have been discovered, thereby demonstrating the efforts of those working in ethnic work; at the same time, many good and valuable lessons have been drawn.

Considering that ethnic work still faces many difficulties, both subjectively and objectively, the Deputy Prime Minister requested that all levels, sectors and localities continue to pay due attention to ethnic work; be flexible and creative in the practical implementation process and further promote propaganda work.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang gave a speech at the Conference.

Affirming that ethnic work is related to many fields, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that the Ethnic Committee needs to continue to promote its leading role in coordinating programs for ethnic minorities and mountainous areas among ministries and branches, thereby promoting efficiency and avoiding overlap in implementation.

He said that special attention should be paid to building a team of cadres working on ethnic affairs and to schools for children of ethnic minorities.

For localities, the Deputy Prime Minister requested to promote the implementation of ethnic work based on decentralization, while arranging for capable and experienced people to support. Localities also need to actively exchange implementation experiences.

Comrade Hau A Lenh spoke at the Conference.

Speaking at the conclusion of the Conference, Comrade Hau A Lenh said: The Ethnic Committee will seriously absorb and concretize the opinions of the Deputy Prime Minister through work programs and plans.

He affirmed that in the coming time, the Ethnic Committee will continue to promote ethnic work, and at the same time expressed his hope that all levels and sectors from the central to local levels will strongly coordinate and support to create a combined strength and implement ethnic programs in the most effective way.

* Also at the Conference, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang awarded the Third Class Independence Medal to comrade Luu Son Hai, former Deputy Minister, Vice Chairman of the Ethnic Committee; and awarded the Third Class Labor Medal to comrade Le Tuan Ha, former Deputy Director of the Digital Transformation Center, Ethnic Committee.

Source