Resolution No. 42-NQ/TW, adopted on November 24, 2023 by the Party Central Committee, had set the deadline of 2030 for eradicating unsafe housing for poor and near-poor households, as well as communities affected by natural disasters and climate change. A survey conducted by the end of 2023 showed that nearly 400,000 temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide still needed to be demolished and rebuilt.

To date, Vietnam has removed 334,234 makeshift and dilapidated homes, with total investment of nearly VND50 trillion (approx. US$2 billion) mobilised from multiple sources.

This outcome affirms the superiority of social policies under the socialist system and demonstrates Vietnam’s pioneering role in advancing global social security goals, said Dao Ngoc Dung, Minister of Ethnic Affairs and Religion, and Standing Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee for eliminating temporary and dilapidated housing nationwide, at the conference.

Notably, it also represents a step toward fulfilling Vietnam’s commitment at the G20 Summit in Brazil in November 2024, where it was invited as a founding member of the Global Alliance Against hunger and Poverty, he said.

Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh recalled late President Ho Chi Minh’s teaching that independence holds little meaning without the people’s happiness and freedom.

“Today, with hundreds of thousands of new homes completed across the nation, millions of lives have been given hope for a brighter future. This is a vivid testament to the Party’s highest goal of ensuring prosperity and happiness for the people,” the PM stressed.

With the consistent principle of placing people at the centre, he said, the Party and the State have always given special attention to issuing policies and prioritising resources to improve the material and spiritual well-being of the people. This includes support for the poor, policy beneficiaries, and vulnerable groups to secure safe and stable housing.

The Government leader acknowledged and commended the outstanding efforts and results in implementing the programme, but said this is only one important step in broader social policy.

“The core task is to further promote production and business, create jobs and livelihoods, and continuously improve people’s material and spiritual living standards by encouraging sustainable poverty reduction and enabling people to become prosperous,” he noted.

To sustain momentum, the Prime Minister urged ministries, agencies, and localities to effectively implement Resolution 42-NQ/TW, and support households who have received housing to achieve sustainable livelihoods.

He asked them to mobilise and efficiently use both state budget and social resources, especially in job creation and vocational training, and enhance national movements on social welfare to encourage broad public participation.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister expressed sincere gratitude for the special attention and close guidance of the Party and State leaders, particularly the late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and incumbent Party General Secretary To Lam, toward social security efforts in general and the elimination of temporary and dilapidated housing in particular.

“The initial success of the housing programme will lay a solid foundation for Vietnam to achieve its broader strategic goals for 2030 and 2045, moving toward an era of prosperity, sustainability, and happiness for all,” he concluded.

At the conference, collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in implementing the programme were honoured with various awards.

PM orders removal of temporary, dilapidated houses

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on October 6 issued an official dispatch on accelerating the elimination of temporary and dilapidated houses across the nation.