The international community has recognized Vietnam as one of the countries with the fastest poverty reduction rates. However, some remote regions in the northern highlands and Central Highlands still face high poverty rates - some exceeding 70% - and remain at risk of falling back into poverty.

At a recent press conference in Hanoi on human rights and external communication, Pham Hong Dao, Deputy Chief of the National Office for Poverty Reduction under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, shared key updates on Vietnam’s poverty reduction efforts - vital in ensuring human rights.

Vietnam ranks among global leaders in rapid poverty reduction

Dao stated that during the 2021–2025 period, Vietnam's poverty reduction goals have been met and even surpassed. The target set by the National Assembly and Government was a 1–1.5% annual reduction. The national poverty rate has dropped from 5.2% at the start of the period to 1.93% in 2024. On average, poverty in ethnic minority and mountainous areas has decreased by more than 3% per year.

By the end of 2025, the multidimensional poverty rate is expected to fall to around 0.9–1.1%, and poverty among ethnic minorities could drop to 12.55%.

Vietnam has revised its national poverty standards eight times. It is one of the first 30 countries globally - and the first in Asia - to apply a multidimensional poverty approach, aligning minimum living standards with sustainable development goals.

“In 1998, Vietnam’s national poverty rate stood at about 58%. By the end of 2024, that number had fallen to just 1.93%. With the 2021–2025 poverty standards, we expect this figure to reach around 1% by the end of 2025. The international community recognizes Vietnam as one of the fastest countries in reducing poverty,” said Dao.

To achieve these results, the Party and State have allocated significant resources to poverty reduction policies. The National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction alone had a total budget of VND 75 trillion (approximately USD 3.06 billion) for the 2021–2025 period, including VND 48 trillion (USD 1.96 billion) from the central government, VND 12 trillion (USD 490 million) from local governments, and additional funds from social contributions.

This program focused on socio-economic development in the most impoverished areas and supported vulnerable populations to prevent them from slipping back into poverty.

Thanks to support from various government levels, many areas have seen improvements in infrastructure - such as electricity, roads, schools, and health stations - which have significantly enhanced living conditions in impoverished and remote regions.

More than 10,500 poverty reduction models and projects have been implemented, creating sustainable livelihoods and promoting economic restructuring and labor shifts in poor localities.

“In remote areas, most people don’t want to leave their hometowns because relocation leads to many social risks, especially for children. The key is to create stable employment so they can earn an income without migrating,” Dao emphasized.

Persistent challenges in remote and mountainous regions

However, Dao also noted that poverty reduction remains challenging in the coming period.

In difficult areas such as the northern midlands and mountainous regions, as well as the Central Highlands, poverty rates remain high - over 50% in many areas, and even above 70% in some. The risk of falling back into poverty is also high.

“There are still cases where some individuals refuse to escape poverty, believing there's no need to work because the government provides financial support. This mindset poses a challenge for policymakers, who must design programs that shift public perception,” Dao remarked.

Some remote localities still lack essential infrastructure and access to basic services such as healthcare, education, clean water, and sanitation. In addition, production, commercial, and logistics infrastructure remains underdeveloped, hampering income-generation efforts.

In many areas, poverty reduction models are not yet sustainable and lack alignment with local realities, cultural contexts, and long-term development needs.

Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is actively working with relevant ministries to develop a new poverty standard for the 2026–2030 period.

“Directive 05 of the Party Central Committee instructs the government to develop a comprehensive, sustainable multidimensional poverty standard, adapted to different stages of socio-economic development. At a recent meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha directed our ministry to update indicators of basic social service deprivation, and to consider adding criteria related to natural disaster impacts,” Dao said.

“We want to raise the income threshold for poverty, but some argue that the state budget cannot yet support it, suggesting we continue using the 2021–2025 standards for the 2026–2030 period and revisit the issue when funding allows. But that would hinder progress in the new context,” he added.

The projected budget from the state for the National Target Programs on New Rural Development and Sustainable Poverty Reduction for 2026–2030 is approximately VND 360 trillion (USD 14.7 billion).

The sustainable poverty reduction program for 2026–2030 will focus on three major areas: developing socio-economic infrastructure in impoverished localities; reducing multidimensional deprivation in basic social services under the new poverty standards; and improving management, communication, and monitoring.

Binh Minh