Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has issued an instruction that aimed to improve Government management over ethnic minority affairs. Vietnam has 53 ethnic minority groups, which account for more than 13% of its population. Many live in poverty in remote areas. The instruction gave policy development directions to relevant ministries. The Ministry of Investment and Planning was asked to propose policies to develop the key products of each region, while the Ministry of Investment and Planning was asked to amend the Law on Investment to create favorable conditions for investment in remote and mountainous areas. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was assigned to stabilize ethnic minority residency and tackle the problem of nomadism.
Job measures
The Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to improve training and job creation policies for ethnic minority groups as well as programs supporting ethnic minorities to work abroad. The Ministry of Home Affairs, meanwhile, needed policies on training and recruiting ethnic minorities to take part in the political system. The Ministry of Industry and Trade was told to develop power infrastructure in regions populated by ethnic minority groups, in addition to establishing a commercial development program for these regions. The ministries of education and training, industry and trade and health were also asked to create supportive policies for ethnic minority groups. (Vietnam News Sept 12)