On May 11, 2023, in Can Tho City, the Conference on “Solutions to sustainable socio-economic development for ethnic minorities in the Mekong Delta” was jointly held by the Standing Board of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) City Committee, the Board for Southern Affairs of the VFF Central Committee, Can Tho University, FNF Vietnam, and the Department for Local Ethnic Minority Affairs - Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA). The participants were Ms. Truong Thi Ngoc Anh, Vice-chairwoman of the VFF Central Committee, Mr. Nguyen Trung Nhan, Member of the Standing Board of the Party Committee of Can Tho City and Chairman of the VFF Committee of Can Tho City, Mr. Nguyen Van Hong, Vice-chairman of the People’s Committee of Can Tho City, and over 100 central delegates, representatives of related departments and provincial and city VFF Committees in the Mekong Delta, speakers, and scientists from institutes and universities. 

The conference. Photo: L.G

Mr. Nguyen Van Hong, Vice-chairman of the People’s Committee of Can Tho City, gives a welcome speech at the conference. Photo: L.G

Mr. Nguyen Trung Nhan, Chairman of the VFF Committee of Can Tho City, gives an introductory speech. Photo: L.G

Delegates exchange ideas after the conference. Photo: L.G

According to the Department for Local Ethnic Minority Affairs - CEMA, the Mekong Delta had 43 ethnic minorities, accounting for 7.58% of its population. The Khmer people contributed the largest proportion (1.1 million) and lived with the Kinh people in 9 provinces and cities such as Can Tho, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Kien Giang, etc. With 21 presentations at the conference, the delegates discussed the socio-economic situation of ethnic minorities in the Mekong Delta; solutions to promote the Khmer cultural values for the socio-economic development of the Mekong Delta by 2030 with a vision to 2045; training policies on “incentive student admission” for ethnic minorities in the Mekong Delta; the VFF’s role in socio-economic development and national defense and security in border communes in the period 2021-2025; solutions and policies to promote the Khmer people’s potential and advantages of economic development and improvement of living standards. Many specific solutions to socio-economic development for ethnic minorities were proposed, such as improving macro policies on the development of Khmer female human resources and reducing poverty by access to basic social services and by tourism in livelihood and socio-cultural aspects.

Ms. Truong Thi Ngoc Anh, Vice-Chairwoman of the VFF Central Committee, speaks at the conference. Photo: L.G

Speaking at the conference, Ms. Truong Thi Ngoc Anh, Vice-Chairwoman of the VFF Central Committee, emphasized this conference had profound political significance, demonstrating the role and responsibility of the whole political system for ethnic minorities in Vietnam, and particularly in the Mekong Delta. Therefore, it helps provincial and city VFFs in the Mekong Delta to improve the effectiveness of consultation and cooperation with the People’s Councils and People’s Committees in organizing and implementing Decision No. 1719/QD-TTg by the Prime Minister on approving the National Target Program of Socio-economic Development for Ethnic and Mountainous People in the period 2021-2030. She requested the Conference Organization Board to gather ideas and solutions and report them to Party Committees, authorities, and VFFs at all levels in the provinces of the Mekong Delta to select and include solutions to sustainable socio-economic development for ethnic minorities in the resolutions of the Party and People’s Council and the plans of the People’s Committee, the VFF’s action plans in the provinces of the Mekong Delta, and implement them effectively.

Source: Can Tho News