Vietnam makes MDGs fulfillment progress in ethnic minority areas
The Vietnamese Government has prioritised resources for realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) over the last 15 years and made strides in boosting socio-economic development.
Hanoi (VNA) –🃏 The Vietnamese Government has prioritised resources for realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) over the last 15 years and made strides in boosting socio-economic development, especially in ethnic minority communities.
To promote minorities’ living standards, the Vietnamese Party and State have issued synchronous guidelines and policies, including the Government’s Programme 135 - which has been carried out since 1998.
This programme aims to promote socio-economic development in particularly disadvantaged ethnic minority and mountainous areas. It is one of the most important ethnic minority policies in the country.
At a recent forum on the MDGs implementation in ethnic minority communities between 2016 and 2020, the Government’s Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs reported that Programme 135 was implemented in 2,331 communes and 3,059 hamlets, of 415 districts in 52 provinces, from 2011 to 2015. It received over 1 trillion VND (44.6 million USD) in non-refundable aid from Ireland and the European Union.
During the period, the target localities built over 22,000 infrastructural projects, mostly roads, irrigation works and schools, and provided local residents with seedlings, livestock, agricultural equipment and animal vaccinations.
The programme carried out 195 agricultural development projects, and 970 training courses on agriculture and forestry management. It also transferred farming techniques to more than 458,000 people.
The Government committee said Programme 135 directly enhanced socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas – the core region of poverty in Vietnam – in MDGs-related aspects.
The poverty rate in particularly disadvantaged communes and hamlets was cut down by 3.5 percent annually. The centres of all the communes are now accessible by cars while 97.5 percent of the target areas have gained access to electricity.
Speaking at the forum, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pratibha Mehta congratulated the country on fundamental advances that it attained during a very short period of time to achieve most of the MDGs. That illustrates Vietnam’s enormous progress during the Doi Moi (Reform) period.
The committee, which is tasked with helping the Prime Minister monitor and guide the MDGs implementation in ethnic minority areas, said it has oriented Programme 135 towards better fulfilling these goals.
In September 2015, the Prime Minister issued a decision approving some MDGs implementation targets, which are associated with the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals for ethnic minority regions.
Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Ethnic Council Nguyen Danh Ut expressed his belief that with efforts by the Government committee, ministries, sectors and localities as well as people and foreign sponsors’ support, Programme 135 will reach its targets by 2020 and contribute to the realisation of the Millenium Development Goals in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in Vietnam.-VNA
Vietnam’s performance towards the Millennial Development Goals, particularly those regarding poverty reduction, gender equality and education, over the past years has won international recognition.
A seminar was held in the northern province of Lang Son on December 22 to review policies and laws relating to poverty reduction for ethnic minorities during 2011-2015.
Vietnam has made remarkable progress in ensuring social security during its Doi Moi (renewal) process thanks to the sound leadership of the Party and State.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the agency’s centre for digital contents and communications (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
PM Chinh lauded the press’s historic role in the nation’s fight for independence and its ongoing process of national development, affirming that the Government always highly appreciates the close partnership and steadfast support of press agencies and journalists nationwide.
In recent decades, Vietnam’s mainstream media has become a reliable and persuasive channel for showcasing the nation’s development policies and achievements, especially in economic matters, according to a senior assistant editor at the Times of India.
A hub for sharing best practices, the event aims to forge solutions for financial sustainability, public media contracts, audience engagement, content innovation, and newsroom restructuring. It is also a moment for Vietnam’s media to accelerate its progress and figure out what the “revolutionary press” means in a new era.
From “Thanh nien”, Vietnam’s first revolutionary newspaper founded by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later President Ho Chi Minh) on June 21, 1925, the revolutionary press has remained devoted to its sacred missions -accompanying the nation, serving the Fatherland, and working for the people.
The official launch of Emirates’ Dubai–Da Nang route on June 2 has sparked a “tourism revolution” for Vietnam’s central coastal city. Da Nang is emerging as a top destination for high-end travelers, particularly from the lucrative Middle Eastern market.
Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said VNA has been a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, contributing actively to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. Their coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues adds valuable perspectives. Bernama appreciates the collaboration with VNA.
In this era of global integration and digitalisation, the press must adopt modern multimedia models to not only meet increasing information and communication demands but also align with the broader socio-economic development of the country.
A master plan on implementation of recommendations accepted by Vietnam under the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) took effect on June 17.
Running until June 21, the festival brings together more than 80 central and local media organisations, featuring nearly 130 exhibition booths that cover the full spectrum of national life, encompassing economy, politics, culture, society, defence, security, and foreign affairs.
As of June 17, Ca Mau province had achieved its target of supporting the construction and renovation of 4,400 homes, with a total budget of over 235 billion VND (about 9 million USD).
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
