Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính at the March 24 meeting with leaders of northwestern region and surrounding areas. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính emphasised the need to align socio-economic development with the task of ensuring national defence and security while presiding over a conference on ensuring security and order to support socioeconomic development in the northwestern region and surrounding areas on Monday.

He reaffirmed that the northwestern region holds a specially important strategic position in terms of politics, socio-economy, national defence, security, ecological environment, and foreign relations. He highlighted its role as the "northern gateway" of the country, directly linked to the cause of building and safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Party and State have devoted significant attention to the region’s development through various policies, resolutions, and directives. However, the Prime Minister noted that challenges remain in implementing ethnic and religious policies and advancing socioeconomic development.

To address these issues and establish a strong foundation for the region’s growth, the PM outlined several key priorities, including the combination of socioeconomic development with national defence and security; and effectively implementing ethnic and religious policies, socio-economic and cultural programmes, job creation, conflict resolution, and fostering self-reliance among ethnic communities.

Additionally, he stressed the need to preserve and promote the fine values of traditional culture, creating a strong foundation to eliminate conditions and factors that could be exploited by hostile and reactionary forces.

For 2025, the Prime Minister set out nine major tasks, primarily focusing on improving the economy, culture, and education. Accordingly, the Ministry of Home Affairs must ensure the proper structure and number of full-time personnel for ethnic and religious affairs, with completion by June 2025.

Ministries and local authorities must actively support the nationwide movement to eliminate temporary and dilapidated housing by the end of this year.

The Ministry of Health was assigned to lead efforts to develop a healthcare programme for ethnic minorities, to be completed by June 2025.

The Ministry of Education and Training was tasked with spearheading a project to improve education quality for ethnic minority children, with a three-year implementation period starting in March 2025.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism was asked to collaborate with the Ministry for Ethnic and Religious Affairs and relevant agencies in devising a project to restore and promote ethnic cultural heritage. Work must be done by the end of this year.

According to General Lương Tam Quang, Minister of Public Security, law enforcement forces have worked closely with ministries, agencies, and local authorities to proactively prevent, combat, and suppress activities that threaten security and order, including those by hostile and reactionary forces and criminals. These coordinated efforts have fostered a secure environment conducive to socio-economic development, improving the quality of life for residents in the northwestern region and its vicinity. — VNA/VNS