During the OECD global forum in Paris on April 4-5, participants held dialogues with government officials from non-OECD member countries and representatives of the private sector and civil societies.

Featuring the theme “Creative Approaches to Poverty Reduction, Increased Social Connectivity and Advancement”, the forum highlighted Vietnam’s active membership in the OECD and proposed a new concept of social connectivity, which is considered an effective tool for evaluating poverty reduction efforts.

OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria described Vietnam as a pioneer among developing countries in promoting social connectivity and reducing the poverty rate.

Vietnamese representative Trinh Cong Khanh, head of the Ethnicity Policy Department under the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA), affirmed that the Government of Vietnam has introduced many policies on socio-economic development and sustainable poverty reduction for ethnic minority groups.

However, he admitted, the country still has overlapping policies and insufficient human resources to implement them effectively.

Khanh emphasized that Vietnam attaches importance to promoting social connectivity and realizing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Therefore, it was among the first countries selected by the OECD to implement a poverty reduction programme that takes into account the social connectivity factor.

The programme will focus on providing benefits to the most vulnerable people, narrowing the gap between rich and poor, and mobilizing the combined strength of the entire society.

Established in 2006, the OECD provides a venue for leaders and researchers from many countries to tackle poverty-related issues, narrow the development gap, and reduce unemployment.

VOV