Criteria for identification of ethnic groups facing exceptional difficulties during 2026-2030

The Government issued Decree 255/2025/ND-CP on September 29, introducing criteria and procedures for identification of ethnic groups that face exceptional difficulties during 2026 - 2030.

Regarding criteria for identification of such ethnic groups, Decree 255 says that an ethic group facing multiple difficulties is the one whose multi-dimensional poverty rate is above the general multi-dimensional poverty rate for ethnic groups nationwide.

In the meantime, an ethnic group facing exceptional difficulties is the one that has less than 10,000 people and whose multi-dimensional poverty rate is higher than the general rate for all ethnic groups or whose population has decreased compared to the country’s total population recorded in the 2019 Population and Housing Census.

Taking effect on mid-November this year, Decree 255 states that the procedures for identifying ethnic groups facing multiple difficulties or exceptional difficulties for the 2026-30 period may be carried out at the commune level, the provincial level, and the central level.

Commune-level People’s Committees will organize the review and compilation of data on the total population, total households, poor households, and just-above-poverty line households for each ethnic group in their localities. Population data for each ethnic group must be collected from population management data within 15 days from the effective date of the Decree. In the meantime, data on the total number of households, poor households, and just-above-poverty line households must be compiled based on the results of the 2024 poor and just-above-poverty line household review.

After receiving review reports (in e-files and hard copies) from commune-level People’s Committees, provincial-level People’s Committees will direct related agencies to summarize, review and appraise the reported data. They will then send results (in e-files and hard copies) to the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs within 30 working days from the effective date of the Decree.

Finally, within 30 working days after receiving these provincial reports, the Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs will direct the final review and summarization, and issue a decision approving the list of ethnic groups facing multiple difficulties or exceptional difficulties for the 2026-2030 period nationwide.-

(VLLF)