Ethnic Work Helps National Development

The Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs on February 9 hosted a conference in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue to review ethnic work in 2011 and launch tasks for 2012. Last year, the lives of ethnic minorities continued to be improved with the proportion of poor households reducing between 4 and 5%. More socio-economic infrastructure was built and renovated, with over 97% of communes having roads and over 84% of communes having access to electricity. So far, 100% of communes have been covered by a telephone network. The rate of localities accessing radio and television services reached nearly 90 and 80%, respectively. Educational and healthcare systems were expanded with over 70% of communal medical stations having qualified doctors. Many cultural and sports activities were promoted and preserved, such as ethnic cultural, sports and tourism festival in the northwestern, Central Highlands and southern Khmer regions, where there are large ethnic communities. This year, the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs will focus on perfecting the Government’s Ethnic Work Strategy for the 2011- 2020 period and an action plan to implement the strategy, amending and supplementing 28 programs for ethnic and mountainous regions for the 2011 – 2016 period as well as creating policies for officials involved in ethnic work in State management agencies. (Nhan Dan – The People Feb 10)