Economic experts and journalists have called for closer bonds among themass media, policy makers, economic managers and entrepreneurs tofoster the national cause of poverty reduction and alleviation andsustainable development.

They made the call at amulti-party forum on the issue held by the Vietnam Journalists’Association (VJA) in Hanoi on March 6 with the participation ofrepresentatives of relevant ministries, agencies and enterprises.

The even is part of activities to review 10 year implementation of thenational strategy on poverty reduction and alleviation which is one ofthe Vietnamese government’s commitments relating to the United NationsMillennium Development Goals.

Ngo Truong Thi, DeputyDirector of the Social Protection Department under the Ministry ofLabour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said the government has givenpriority to poverty reduction and social security in parallel witheconomic development.

However, the results came outto be unsustainable, Thi said, adding that the numbers of householdsliving just above the poverty standard or relapsing into poverty remainhigh.

VJA chairman Thuan Huu, who is also a memberof the Party Central Committee and Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dannewspaper, stressed that poverty reduction is a focus of attention ofthe mass media.

Nguyen Thanh Phong, Editor-in-Chiefof Lao dong and Xa hoi (Labour and Society) newspaper, suggested mediahouses should figure out how to bring the issue to readers in anappealing and multidimensional way.

According to the newly-set poverty line, by the end of 2012, the poverty rate nationwide hovered at about 10 percent.-VNA