Although many policies have been created to help ethnic minority groups over the years, much still needs to be done to reduce poverty in the areas where they live. Greater efforts by authorities at all levels and measures to raise ethnic people’s awareness of poverty reduction policies are what in need, according to Deputy Lo Thi Luyen of Dien Bien province:  "Free support policies should be replaced with conditional support, for example, offering low-interest loans or supporting start-up projects. This will change people’s habit of depending on the government and encourage them to become more responsible for their own lives."

Deputies agreed that it’s necessary to change people’s mindset about sustainable poverty reduction and create policies that match the different needs of different localities. Investment should go into creating good jobs for ethnic minority people.

"Helping ethnic minority people in mountainous areas escape poverty and thrive will ultimately benefit national development and border protection," said Doan Van Viet, a deputy of Lam Dong province.