ĐẮK LẮK — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, President Nguyễn Phú Trọng joined a national solidarity festival in Dur Kmăl Commune, Krông Ana District, the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk, on Sunday.

Dur Kmăl, which was a revolutionary base in the resistance war against the US, is home to nearly 7,500 people from seven ethnic groups, 50 per cent of whom are ethnic minorities. In 2000, the commune received the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces.

At the festival, which marked the 88th founding anniversary of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front, the leader expressed his delight that the local community has promoted its heroic tradition, continuing to implement the Party’s policies and directions, especially in socio-economic development, culture, education and new-style rural building.

He lauded the mutual support of the local community in escaping poverty and improving infrastructure as well as locals’ incomes.

The leader said the Party and State always give optimal conditions for localities to develop through providing resources, experience and supporting them in personnel training and science-technology application.

Highlighting the significance of fostering national solidarity, the leader expressed his belief that with strong unity, Dur Kmăl will reap more successes in all fields.

On the occasion, Party General Secretary, President Nguyễn Phú Trọng presented gifts to households who have shown outstanding performance in building new-style rural areas and civilised urban areas. The VFF’s Central Committee also offered presents to policy beneficiaries in the commune.

Earlier, on Saturday, the Party and State leader worked with the provincial Party Committee on mid-term results in implementing the provincial Party Organisation Congress’s resolution for the 2015-20 tenure.

Đắk Lắk has shown strong performance in economic development with growth of 7.8 per cent per year. The province’s agro-forestry-fisheries sector recorded the highest growth in the region, at 6.2 per cent. Meanwhile, 40 out of 152 communes and one out of 15 districts have finished the new-style rural building programme.

As many as 99.1 per cent of children under five years old have accessed pre-school education, while 98.9 per cent of communal healthcare facilities have met national standards.

Most local residents have access to sanitary toilets, clean water and power services. The ratio of poverty in the locality has fallen to 11.1 per cent.

Underlining the strategic position of Đắk Lắk in the Central Highlands region, the leader hoped that the Party, administration and people in the province will continue fostering solidarity to complete all 19 targets in the resolution.

He reminded the locality to strengthen ties with the neighbouring Mondulkiri province of Cambodia, while tackling unplanned migration and focusing on forest protection.

The leader asked Đắk Lắk to prepare personnel plans as the 2015-20 tenure is nearly over. The province should enhance collaboration with regional localities and ministries in economic development, while paying more attention to Party building and anti-corruption, making the province a development centre of the Central Highlands, he stressed.

The same day, Politburo member and Standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Trần Quốc Vượng attended a national solidarity festival in Đồng Ẻn residential area of Kim Bình Commune, Chiêm Hóa District of northern Tuyên Quang Province.

A similar festival took place in Kim Câu Hamlet, Kim Hòa Commune, Cầu Ngang District of the Mekong Delta province of Trà Vinh with the participation of Politburo member and Secretary of the HCM City Party’s Committee Nguyễn Thiện Nhân while Politburo member and Deputy Minister of Defence General Ngô Xuân Lịch joined in the festival in Village 6, Chính Lý Commune, Lý Nhân District of the northern province of Hà Nam.

Earlier on Saturday, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tòng Thị Phòng joined locals in Ba Vì Commune, Ba Vì District of Hà Nội in their unity festival. — VNS