The Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs on Friday solemnly held a gathering marking the 80th anniversary of the traditional day of the state management agency for ethnic affairs (May 3, 1946 - May 3, 2026).
Attending the ceremony were former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, former heads and leaders of state agencies in charge of ethnic affairs across different periods, along with representatives from ministries, central agencies and local authorities.
Delegates attend the commemorative gathering. Photo: Le Anh Dung
Affirming the strategic role of ethnic affairs
Delivering remarks at the ceremony, Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Nguyen Dinh Khang stressed that from its earliest days, the ethnic affairs agency was entrusted with mobilizing ethnic minority communities to unite, join resistance movements, protect the revolutionary government and help transform ethnic minority regions into solid revolutionary bases for the country.
Through the resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American empire, as well as the periods of renewal and international integration, the organizational system overseeing ethnic affairs has continuously been strengthened to meet the demands of each historical stage.
On March 1, 2025, the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs was established through the merger of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs and the state management functions on religion from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The move marked an important milestone in the restructuring of the state apparatus and reflected the Party and State’s deep concern for ethnic and religious affairs in the country’s new development phase.
Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Nguyen Dinh Khang said the community of 53 ethnic minority groups, with more than 14.7 million people, is an inseparable part of the great national unity bloc. Photo: Le Anh Dung
Highlighting the strategic importance of ethnic affairs, Minister Nguyen Dinh Khang said the 53 ethnic minority groups, comprising more than 14.7 million people, are an inseparable part of the great national unity bloc.
Investing in the comprehensive development of ethnic minority and mountainous regions, he said, is an investment in the country’s sustainable future, ensuring social progress and equity while serving as a foundational factor for preserving national solidarity.
The Party and State have consistently identified ethnic affairs and national unity as strategic, long-term and urgent issues.
A number of major policies have been introduced, including Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW on ethnic affairs, Conclusion No. 65-KL/TW of the Politburo on continuing the implementation of Resolution 24 in the new context, and national target programs dedicated to ethnic minority and mountainous regions.
Delegates at the gathering. Photo: Le Anh Dung
Improving livelihoods and strengthening national solidarity
Minister Nguyen Dinh Khang said that thanks to the synchronized implementation of ethnic policies, ethnic minority and mountainous regions have undergone significant transformation.
During the 2021-2025 period, many areas recorded growth rates higher than the national average.
The poverty rate among ethnic minority communities fell by an average of 3.4% annually, while average income reached USD 1,700 per person per year - more than three times higher than in 2020.
Infrastructure has continued to improve in a coordinated manner.
More than 99% of communes now have paved roads connecting to administrative centers, nearly 99% of households have access to electricity, and more than 94% of residents have access to hygienic water sources.
Education, healthcare, culture and digital transformation have also seen positive progress.
School attendance rates among children have increased significantly, health insurance coverage has reached nearly 94%, and many traditional cultural values of ethnic minority groups have been preserved and promoted.
Alongside these achievements, Minister Nguyen Dinh Khang also acknowledged several remaining challenges, including an incomplete legal framework for ethnic affairs, slow implementation of some programs and projects, and investment resources that at times have not met practical demands.
Former Standing Vice Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Be Truong Thanh speaks at the event. Photo: Le Anh Dung
The minister said that in the coming period, the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs will focus on effectively implementing resolutions and strategies related to ethnic affairs, continuing institutional reforms, studying proposals for an Ethnic Affairs Law, accelerating digital transformation, improving the effectiveness of state management, and strengthening the workforce dedicated to ethnic affairs to meet new demands.
Speaking at the ceremony, former Standing Vice Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Be Truong Thanh emotionally recalled key milestones in the 80-year journey of the state management agency for ethnic affairs.
One notable milestone was the establishment of the Office for Mountainous and Ethnic Affairs in 1990, marking the restoration of the state management body for ethnic affairs after years of interruption.
Since then, many major programs have been implemented effectively, including Program 134 supporting housing, residential land, production land and clean water access, Program 135 on socio-economic development for especially disadvantaged communes, and the national target program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
Former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and delegates visit a photo exhibition at the anniversary ceremony. Photo: Le Anh Dung
Another major milestone was the training of ethnic minority officials.
From its earliest days, the Department for Ethnic Minorities opened a training school named Nung Tri Cao, whose first class was once visited by President Ho Chi Minh.
During wartime, training programs for officials from ethnic minority regions continued to operate, notably with the establishment of the Southern Ethnic Cadre Training Zone in 1959.
Today, the training system has evolved into the Academy for Ethnic Minorities, contributing to the development of a cadre workforce serving ethnic minority and mountainous regions.
The ceremony concluded in a solemn atmosphere filled with solidarity, reinforcing the determination of officials in the ethnic affairs sector to continue standing alongside ethnic minority communities on the country’s journey into a new era of development.
Vietnamnet.vn
Podcast
.svg){kind=icon}
