On October 19, in Bac Kan, the 4th Congress of Ethnic Minorities (EM) of Bac Kan province in 2024 was solemnly opened with the theme: "Ethnic groups of Bac Kan province unite, innovate, promote advantages, integrate and develop".

Attending the Congress were Mr. Hoang Duy Chinh, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Ms. Phuong Thi Thanh, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Bac Kan Provincial Party Committee; Mr. Nguyen Dang Binh, Chairman of the Bac Kan Provincial People's Committee, along with representatives of departments, local units and 247 delegates from districts and cities in the province. On the Central side, Ms. Nong Thi Ha, Deputy Minister, Vice Chairman of the Ethnic Committee attended.

At the Congress, Ms. Trieu Thi Thu Phuong, Head of the Bac Kan Provincial Ethnic Committee, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Congress, reported the results of the first working session on the afternoon of October 18. Accordingly, the first session on the afternoon of October 18 approved the working program of the Congress; reported on the situation of delegates attending the Congress; disseminated and thoroughly grasped the regulations of the Congress; elected the Presidium and Secretary of the Congress; discussed and contributed opinions on documents and ethnic work in the coming time.

The report said that the total number of official delegates attending the Congress was 250 people, the delegates attending the Congress ensured the correct structure and composition; 100% of the official delegates were qualified to attend the Congress. The first working session also elected 9 members to join the Presidium.

Speaking at the opening of the Congress, Ms. Hoang Thu Trang, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Bac Kan Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Congress Steering Committee affirmed that the results achieved in recent years in Bac Kan have demonstrated the great efforts and striving of the ethnic people in the province.

However, according to Ms. Trang, ethnic minority areas are still the areas with the most difficult conditions. The poverty rate is still high, the poverty reduction results are not really sustainable, the risk of falling back into poverty is high; there is still a situation where ethnic minorities lack land for production, lack of land for housing, etc. These are also challenges and obstacles for Party committees and authorities at all levels in implementing ethnic policies in the coming time.

The political report at the Congress also highlighted the results achieved after 5 years of implementing the Resolution of the 3rd Congress of Ethnic Minorities in Bac Kan Province in 2019. Accordingly, through investment from programs and projects to build infrastructure, support production development and direct support of policies for people, it has contributed to changing the face of rural areas in especially difficult communes and villages, ethnic minority areas and mountainous areas in Bac Kan.

Infrastructure such as rural traffic systems, irrigation works, domestic water, schools, medical stations, cultural houses, etc. have been invested in and gradually renovated; the fields of health, education, and socio-culture have had many positive changes; social security has been ensured, the material and spiritual life of the people, especially ethnic minority areas, has been gradually improved, contributing significantly to the results of poverty reduction.

In the period of 2019 - 2024, despite many difficulties due to natural disasters and epidemics, the province has mobilized all resources, focused on solutions for socio-economic development, and improved people's lives, thereby the province's economy still grew steadily, and people's incomes have been increasingly improved.

The political report set out 10 goals and 5 solutions to implement ethnic work and ethnic policies in the 2024-2029 period.

Speaking at the Congress, Ms. Nong Thi Ha, Deputy Minister, Vice Chairwoman of the Ethnic Committee, acknowledged and highly appreciated the results of ethnic work and ethnic policies in Bac Kan.

To successfully implement the Resolution of the Congress, as well as ethnic work and ethnic policies in the province, the Deputy Minister and Vice Chairman of the Ethnic Committee requested that Party committees and authorities at all levels continue to implement the ethnic policies of the Party and State in the new situation.

Along with that, renewing thinking, promoting potentials and strengths to improve people's lives, reducing poverty quickly and sustainably. Increasing the number of capable ethnic minority cadres at the grassroots level to work with the people to develop the socio-economy; further promoting the role of prestigious people in ethnic minority areas; paying special attention to education and training for children of ethnic minorities because this is a solid path to bring the village to a bright future.

Mr. Hoang Duy Chinh, Secretary of Bac Kan Provincial Party Committee at the Congress also frankly acknowledged and evaluated the ethnic work of Bac Kan province. Mr. Chinh commented that the ethnic work of the province still has some limitations that need to be focused on solving in the coming time such as:

Although the lives of ethnic minorities have improved, there are still many difficulties, poverty reduction is not sustainable, the rate of poor households among ethnic minorities is still high. Although infrastructure has received investment, it has not met the demand, especially in remote, isolated and extremely disadvantaged areas.

The quality of education, health care and culture in some ethnic minority areas compared to the general level of the province is still low; vocational training has received attention but the effectiveness is not high.

The implementation of some programs and policies for socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas is still slow; the disbursement rate of capital for national target programs is low, especially career capital.

Some of the beautiful cultural identities of ethnic groups are at risk of being lost. Some ethnic minority households still show inferiority complex and lack determination to overcome difficulties and improve their lives.

According to Mr. Chinh, the security and order situation in ethnic minority areas in some places still has potential complications. The coordination between sectors and levels in implementing some ethnic programs, projects and policies is sometimes not synchronized. The Secretary of the Bac Kan Provincial Party Committee suggested that the Congress seriously absorb, supplement the Resolution and concretize it in the implementation process.

After a period of serious and open-minded work, the Resolution of the 4th Congress of Ethnic Minorities in Bac Kan Province in 2024 was approved by the Congress. To honor and commend outstanding collectives and individuals participating in socio-economic development, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, new rural construction, maintaining security and national defense, and building the great solidarity bloc of ethnic groups, on this occasion, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Kan Province awarded Certificates of Merit to 20 collectives and 26 individuals; the Deputy Minister and Chairman of the Ethnic Committee also awarded Certificates of Merit of the Ethnic Committee to 01 collective and 05 outstanding individuals.