Deputy Minister Nong Thi Ha chaired a meeting of the drafting committee on the morning of July 10 to review the proposed decree, which will replace the regulation issued on January 14, 2011.

The meeting was attended by representatives of ministries, government agencies and the National Assembly's Ethnic Council, all of whom serve on the drafting committee.

According to Nong Thi Ha, replacing the existing decree is an urgent task to fully institutionalize the Party's policies and guidelines, the 2013 Constitution and newly enacted laws.

She said the new decree is also intended to meet the requirements of ongoing reforms to local government, public administration restructuring and the expansion of decentralization and delegation of authority.

Draft focuses on responsibilities and policy framework

The draft decree consists of five chapters and 29 articles.

It clarifies the scope of regulation, applicable entities, fundamental principles governing ethnic affairs and ethnic policies, while revising and supplementing legal definitions to reflect the spirit of the 2013 Constitution, Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW, Conclusion No. 65-KL/TW, the resolutions of the 14th National Party Congress and Vietnam's ethnic affairs strategy for the new development period.

One of the draft's key features is the update of 12 policy groups covering investment and resource allocation; sustainable development; education and training; policies for ethnic minority officials, civil servants and public employees; preservation and development of cultural heritage; sports; tourism; healthcare and population; information and communications; legal education and legal aid; environmental and ecological protection; and national defense and security.

The draft also further clarifies the responsibilities of ministries, sectors and People's Committees at all levels in implementing ethnic affairs and ethnic policies in accordance with major resolutions adopted by the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly and recently enacted laws.

No new administrative procedures

The ministry said the draft decree does not introduce new policies, create additional administrative procedures or require additional staffing or budget resources.

Once approved, the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs will prepare implementing regulations and organize public communication and dissemination to ensure consistent implementation nationwide.

The ministry expects to submit the draft decree to the Government in September 2026.

Drafting committee reviews legal framework

During the meeting, members of the drafting committee discussed the legal basis of the decree, legislative drafting techniques and reviewed the draft's provisions to ensure consistency and avoid overlap with existing legislation.

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Minister Nong Thi Ha welcomed the committee's contributions, emphasizing that improving the legal framework and developing implementing regulations is a complex task requiring close coordination among specialized agencies.

"The comments and recommendations from different stakeholders have helped identify the issues that require further improvement. They have clarified areas that need additional research and revision and provide an important foundation for the drafting committee to continue refining the decree," she said.

Nong Thi Ha also called on ministries and agencies to continue reviewing the draft within their respective areas of responsibility, including agriculture, healthcare, education and culture, while working closely with the lead drafting agency to clearly define the responsibilities of each institution responsible for implementation.

She said the drafting committee would fully incorporate the feedback received and continue carefully reviewing the document to ensure consistency with Vietnam's legal system before submitting it to the competent authorities for consideration.

Thuy Hong