(VOV) – 220 outstanding prestigious people in four Northwestern provinces were honored at a conference in Dien Bien province on Monday for their great contributions in the socio-economy and politics.

Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Northwest region’s Steering Board Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the provinces of Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Son La, and Dien Bien need to raise people’s awareness about the role of the prestigious people in the ethnic minority community. He added that the provinces need to continue implementing policies on ethnic minority and mountainous regions, promoting poverty reduction, planning, and population redistribution in disadvantaged areas. Mr. Phuc affirmed that the Party and State have always given special support to ethnic minority people and created the best possible conditions for them to improve their economies.