Forum Discusses Ethnic Minority Development Goals

Ethnic minority development targets must be included in the 2016-2020 Socio-economic Development Plan, said participants at a forum in Hanoi on December 9 co hosted by the National Assembly's Council for Ethnic Affairs, the Government's Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, the UN Office in Vietnam and the Irish Embassy in Vietnam. They underlined the need for localities to enhance capacity for ethnic minority thus helping them grasp job opportunities while the Government plays a core role in providing public services, especially basic social services, for disadvantaged areas and ethnic minority groups. They suggested localities should include climate change response and environmental protection in their socio-economic development plans and ethnic minority development policies. Speaking at the event, Son Phuoc Hoan, Deputy Minister – Deputy Head of the Government's Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, said that the Government recently issued a decision on implementing ethnic minority-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in line with post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a view to fully carrying out the implementation of national programs and strategies on supporting ethnic minority groups so as the country's SDGs beyond 2015, the Government’s Resolution on sustainable poverty reduction orientation during 2012-2020, and the 2011-2020 Strategy on Ethnic Affairs. Irish Ambassador to Vietnam Cait Moran said that Ireland’s development cooperation program with Vietnam will focus on poverty alleviation for ethnic minorities. (vov.vn Dec 9)