Building socio-cultural and economic policies for ethnic Khmer people in southwest region until 2020 was high on the agenda of a workshop in the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho on March 18.

The workshop, held by the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration in collaboration with the Southwest Steering Committee and the Can Tho City’s Party Committee, aimed to assess the Party and State’s policies for Therevada Khmer Buddhism and Khmer ethnic minority people.

It is expected to finalise a master project compiled by the academy on policies for Therevada Khmer Buddhism and Khmer ethnic people in southwest region until 2020.

More than 20 speeches presented at the workshop focussed on the region’s socio-economic and cultural situation after more than five years of implementing the instruction 68/CT-TW and urgent important issues set for now until 2020.

The workshop also heard proposals to supplement policies for Therevada Khmer Buddhism; the development of economic and technical infrastructure; education and training Khmer personnel resources and vocational training assistance, job generation and poverty reduction as well as the land, housing, safe water and environmental hygiene policies.

The delegates showed their special interest in the personnel resource development, education and training, raising people’s awareness among Khmer people.

They emphasised the need to exercise the equality among poor households in majority Kinh and ethnic Khmer people and raise Khmer people’s self-reliant spirit to get out of poverty./.