The National Target Programme for Socio-Cultural Development in Rural, Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2026-2035 period was approved in principle by the National Assembly under Resolution No. 46/2026/QH16, dated August 24, 2026. The Government subsequently stipulated the programme’s implementation contents, mechanisms, and policies in Decree No. 387/2026/ND-CP, dated October 12, 2026.

The programme is formed via the merger of four national target programmes for cultural development; modernisation and improvement of the quality of education and training; new-style rural development, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; and healthcare, population, and development.

It comprises six groups of activities, covering planning, essential infrastructure, and rural quality; multidimensional poverty standards, new-style rural development, the rural economy, livelihoods, and employment; education and training; healthcare and population; culture; and specific policies for ethnic minority and mountainous areas. It also includes cross-cutting activities related to data, capacity building, monitoring, and communications.

By 2030, several nationwide targets have been set, including about 65% of communes meeting new-style rural development standards; an annual reduction of 1-1.5 percentage points in the multidimensional poverty rate; a multidimensional poverty rate of below 10% in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; and the elimination of communes and villages classified as areas facing exceptionally difficult conditions in these regions.

At the meeting, participants focused their discussions and provided comments on the proposed model of the provincial standing body and coordinating office; draft decisions on the establishment of the Steering Committee, its working regulations and the assignment of responsibilities to committee members; the list of legal normative documents to be issued; the draft five-year plan; and plans for mobilising resources for implementation in 2027.

In his concluding remarks, Viet requested that departments, agencies, and localities urgently review the list of documents that need to be issued and report their findings to the provincial People’s Committee. He also called for the prompt completion of dossiers for submission to the provincial People’s Council regarding resolutions on capital allocation and expenditure levels.

He further emphasised the need to develop implementation plans and targets for the 2026–2030 period that are practical and feasible, with priority given to livelihoods, domestic water supply, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and cultural preservation. He urged stronger efforts to promote production, the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme, and rural tourism, ensuring that these activities are linked to market demand and deliver tangible benefits to local communities./.