Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc calls on support for poor. (Photo: VGP)

Organized by the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), the Ministry of Labour, War-Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Party Committee of the Central Enterprises Bloc, the State Bank of Vietnam and Vietnam Television, the program was broadcast from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city.

Addressing the program, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc noted that after national independence in 1945, President Ho Chi Minh identified poverty and hunger as enemies that needed to be defeated. “Over the past 72 years, the Party and State have paid special attention to and put poverty reduction among top priorities in socio-economic development,” he said.

Together with poor people’s efforts, poverty reduction has received great support from enterprises, organizations and individuals as well as international experts and organizations, contributing to remarkable improvement in the material and spiritual lives of the poor, according to the Prime Minister. “The poverty rate was reduced from 14.2% in 2010 to 5.8% in 2016, helping Vietnam realise the United Nations Millennium Development Goals ahead of schedule, drawing praise from the international community,” he added. 

However, he pointed out that Vietnam still has over 3 million poor and nearly-poor families, mainly in remote areas and in areas that often suffer from natural disasters and climate change impacts. 

During the program, 82 organizations and individuals have supported the fund for the poor with VND47.5 billion, and VND216.5 billion for social welfare programs at localities./.

Compiled by BTA