Hanoi (VNA) -Policies to support the impoverished, particularly children, the elderly andethnic minority people, should be completed to ensure that no one is leftbehind, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

Chairing a national teleconference on December 11 to review the povertyreduction work during the 2016-2020 period, the PM said that although Vietnamhas been a global model in the task over the last three decades, povertyalleviation is still not sustainable, with a high rate of poor households and anincreasing gap between the rich and poor.

The country’s achievements in poverty reduction have now been affected by theCOVID-19 pandemic, he said, voicing a concern that it may push half a billionmore people around the world into poverty while reversing a decade of progresson poverty reduction.

Natural disasters, urbanisation, and free immigration have also posed significantchallenges for the impoverished, ethnic minority people, and migrants, PM Phucsaid.

The PM suggested the cementing of inclusive poverty reduction goals andapproving investment in the national target programme on sustainable povertyreduction and social welfare by 2030 and vision to 2045.

Poverty alleviation and social welfare models that are resilient to diseasesand climate change should be developed, he said, adding that both domestic andforeign resources must be mobilised to provide further support to the poor.

He also discussed socio-economic infrastructure development in remote anddifficult localities, and investment in education and vocational training, emphasisingthat they are of utmost importance to sustainably reducing poverty.

PM Phuc also called on localities to build their own poverty reduction modelsin a more creative manner, and launch emulation campaigns to realisesustainable poverty reduction goals in a more practical fashion.

Local authorities must understand the specific circumstances of the poor in orderto identify and adopt suitable support measures, he said, suggesting that theVietnam Fatherland Front and socio-economic organisations at all levels engagebusinesses, organisations, and individuals in poverty reduction efforts.

He affirmed the Party and the State’s consistent policy on socio-economicdevelopment, with priority given to poverty alleviation and social welfare.

Despite the formidable challenges, the National Assembly and the Governmenthave doubled resources for the poverty reduction work, with 21 percent of theState budget allocated to social welfare - the highest in ASEAN.

Vietnam has helped some 13 million people affected by COVID-19 with Statebudget funds, he said.

The PM hailed poverty reduction efforts, with the poverty rate nationwideexpected to fall to less than 3 percent by the end of this year, making Vietnamthe first country to achieve the UN millennium goal on poverty alleviation.

The achievement is attributable to the efforts of the political system, partycommittees, and authorities at all levels, he said, expressing his hope thatthe country as a whole will further its efforts in poverty reduction./.