Ethnic policies of the Party and the State across successive Party Congresses have served as a consistent guiding thread in consolidating the great national unity bloc. Notably, during the tenure of the 13th National Party Congress, the approach to ethnic affairs has undergone major breakthroughs, shifting from support-based policies to development-oriented facilitation, thereby creating momentum to transform the landscape of ethnic minority areas.
Home to 44 ethnic groups, with ethnic minority people accounting for 25.4% of the population, Dak Lak province has prioritised attention and resources to translate ethnic policies and decisions into tangible outcomes, including paved roads, well-built schools and sustainable livelihood models that have fundamentally reshaped the appearance of local villages.
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| Two-crop rice fields improving livelihoods for ethnic minority people in Trung village, Cu Yang commune. |
During the 2021-2025 period, Dak Lak had 152 communes categorized as ethnic minority and mountainous areas, including 66 communes in Area III, 6 ones in Area II and 80 ones in Area I, along with 507 particularly disadvantaged villages and hamlets.
To institutionalise the guideline of the Party and State on ethnic affairs and implement ethnic policies effectively, the provincial Party Committee, People’s Council and People’s Committee issued a wide range of policy documents, established a steering committee, and rolled out implementation plans for three national target programmes: new rural construction, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development support for ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the 2021-2030 period.
By 2025, the province had removed one commune and 65 villages from the list of particularly disadvantaged areas. One Area-III commune, four Area- II communes and 52 Area-I communes met new rural development standards. During the 2021-2025 period, the poverty rate among ethnic minority households declined by an average of 4.47% per year.
Over the period from 2021 to 2025, Dak Lak was allocated 6,837 trillion VND from the central budget to implement the three national target programmes. In parallel, the province proactively mobilised more than 1.688 trillion VND in counterpart local funding. These substantial resources have brought about clear and visible changes in rural areas, particularly in disadvantaged ethnic minority and mountainous regions.
Trung village, a former revolutionary base in Cu Yang commune, once suffered severe devastation from enemy raids. After national reunification, the village faced persistent hardship and deprivation. Thanks to sustained investment under various programmes of the Party and State such as Programmes 132, 134, 135, 167 and 1719, Trung village has undergone a profound transformation. The village now has a community house, kindergarten and primary school facilities; more than 80% of internal roads have been asphalted or concreted; and electricity now reaches every household. Residents have remained united, jointly competing in labour and production to build an increasingly prosperous village.
Ethnic policies have not only changed the physical landscape of villages but, more importantly, have transformed mindsets and approaches to economic development among ethnic minority communities across the province.
Translated by KHUONG THAO
