Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called for closer coordination among the NA Council for Ethnic Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and the Border Guard Command. He said policy quality and practical benefits for local people should be the main measures of their cooperation.
He made the remarks at a conference in Hanoi on November 4, where the four agencies signed coordination rules for 2026–2031.
The programme is intended to link legislative work, appraisal and supervision with State management, improve the legal and policy framework and address obstacles to policy implementation in ethnic minority, mountainous and border areas. It also aims to strengthen information sharing and inter-agency coordination, improve living conditions for ethnic minority communities and reinforce public trust in the Party and State.
Tran Thanh Man said ethnic affairs and national solidarity are strategic, long-term issues and the responsibility of the entire political system. He said development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas is closely linked to strengthening national defence and security and safeguarding border sovereignty.
He urged the four agencies to coordinate from the stage of policy research and proposal, take practical conditions and people's views into account, and review overlapping or inadequate rules on beneficiaries, geographical coverage, resources and implementation responsibilities.
The Council for Ethnic Affairs should promptly propose improvements to legislation, implementation mechanisms and resource allocation while maintaining objectivity and independence in its appraisal and supervisory work, the NA chairman said.
The Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs should advise on policies for the new period and ensure that national target programmes under its management fit the two-tier local administration model and reach all eligible beneficiaries.
The NA chairman also called for socio-economic development to be combined with maintaining security and protecting border sovereignty. He asked the Ministry of Public Security to strengthen monitoring, analysis and forecasting, address security and public order issues proactively, combat crime and prevent the exploitation of ethnic and religious matters to undermine national solidarity.
The Border Guard Command must work with local Party committees, authorities and the Council for Ethnic Affairs on proposals for border area development while safeguarding territorial and border security and building a strong people's border guard posture, he said.
He called on agencies to stay close to communities, listen to people's concerns and promote the role of ethnic communities, ethnic minority officials and reputable local figures. Communication and public mobilisation, he said, should be linked to addressing people's practical needs.
Mechanisms should facilitate information exchange and access to shared databases, providing timely, evidence-based information while protecting State secrets, personal data and information security.
Supervision by the Council for Ethnic Affairs should focus on issues directly affecting people's lives, clearly identify causes and responsibilities and monitor the implementation of recommendations. Relevant agencies must address the issues, provide explanations and report the results within their authority.
Tran Thanh Man requested strict implementation of the coordination rules, with clear responsibilities assigned to agency heads. Each agency should designate leaders and focal points, identify priority tasks, assign lead agencies and set specific targets and deadlines. Cooperation should be assessed by tangible outcomes, including improved policies, implemented recommendations and difficulties resolved for local communities.
The newly signed rules are expected to strengthen coordination in legislation, appraisal, supervision and policy recommendations concerning ethnic minority communities and mountainous, border and island areas.
The agencies will jointly review overlapping or inadequate policies, assess their feasibility and implementation conditions and monitor law enforcement. Joint supervision will focus on issues affecting people's livelihoods, including land, resettlement, employment, education, healthcare, personnel work and national target programmes. They will also step up information exchange, improve communication and public mobilisation, standardise shared databases and coordinate social welfare activities in ethnic minority, mountainous and border areas.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
