New proposal for the organizational structure of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions.

The Ministry of Justice has just released the appraisal report on the draft Decree stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions. The draft was prepared under the leadership of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions.

According to the draft decree, the organizational structure of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions comprises 12 units: Planning and Finance Department; Personnel and Organization Department; Legal Department; International Cooperation Department; Department of Propaganda on Ethnic Minorities and Religions; Office; Government Religious Affairs Committee; Department of Ethnic Strategy and Policy; Digital Transformation Center; Academy of Ethnic Minorities and Religions; VietNamNet Newspaper; and Journal of Ethnic Minorities and Religions Studies.

Through review and assessment, the organizational structure of the Ministry during the 2021-2026 Government term is considered fundamentally reasonable and appropriate to its assigned functions, tasks, and powers. State management units and public service units have generally performed their assigned functions and tasks correctly, effectively and efficiently in providing advice on state management in their respective specialized fields.

Headquarters of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions

The Government Religious Affairs Departments, the Ministry's Office, and the public service units serving the state management functions under the Ministry all meet the establishment criteria. Therefore, the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions proposes maintaining the stability of 7 state management units including: Planning and Finance Department; Personnel and Organization Department; Legal Department; International Cooperation Department; Department of Propaganda on Ethnic and Religious Affairs; Office; and the Government Religious Affairs Committee (Type 2 Department).

The Ministry proposed establishing the Department of Ethnic Strategy and Policy (Type 2 Department) based on the existing Policy Department, with added responsibilities. The rationale for this proposal is based on the Central Committee's orientation in the Party's 14th Congress documents; the Politburo 's conclusions; and the Ethnic Affairs Strategy for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045.

Furthermore, regarding the establishment of the department to meet the development requirements of the new phase, General Secretary and President To Lam affirmed that a more strategic, synchronized, and substantive approach is needed for ethnic affairs and ethnic policies. Ethnic affairs must be placed within the overall national development strategy.

Currently, the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion manages two main areas of state affairs: ethnic minorities and religions. Regarding the state management of religion, the Ministry has the Government Religious Affairs Committee, which manages religious and belief affairs. For the ethnic affairs sector, there is currently only the Policy Department; therefore, it is necessary to establish a Department of Ethnic Strategy and Policy to strengthen state management in advising, researching, formulating strategies, and organizing the implementation of ethnic policies; ensuring adherence to the Party's guidelines on strengthening ethnic policies in the new situation.

The Department of Ethnic Strategy and Policy is expected to perform the functions and tasks of advising the Minister on state management of ethnic policies, science and technology, basic research, and environmental protection; and to lead the development of legal documents and specific policies for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, especially in difficult areas, border regions, and security zones.

The Department will also advise on policies regarding culture, language, influential figures, and address social issues such as gender equality and child marriage; it will be responsible for reviewing and inspecting the implementation of ethnic policies nationwide to propose improvements and manage tasks...

The Department of Ethnic Strategy and Policy has met all the conditions and standards for its establishment as stipulated by regulations.

Proposal to retain 3 public service units and rename the National Academy of Ethnic Minorities.

The draft report states that the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion will not organize departments within its divisions; the Government Religious Affairs Committee, the Department of Ethnic Strategy and Policy, and the Ministry's Office will have departmental structures as prescribed. The Department of Propaganda on Ethnic Minorities and Religion will continue to maintain two branches headquartered in Dak Lak province and Can Tho city.

The Ministry also proposed maintaining the stability of three public service units: VietNamNet Newspaper, the Journal of Ethnic and Religious Studies, and the Center for Digital Transformation.

The National Academy of Ethnic Minorities is proposed to be renamed the Academy of Ethnic Minorities and Religions to align with the Ministry's state management functions and the current functions and tasks of the National Academy of Ethnic Minorities. The National Academy of Ethnic Minorities is a public non-profit organization, a different educational institution that conducts higher education activities.

From March 1, 2025, when the Ministry established the National Academy, the field of education, training, and research on beliefs and religions was added. Therefore, changing the name is necessary to encompass the functions and tasks of the Academy.

The position and functions of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, as stipulated in the draft Decree, remain unchanged from Decree No. 41/2025. Specifically, the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions is a government agency performing the function of state management in the following sectors and fields: ethnic affairs; beliefs and religions; and state management of public services under the ministry's state management as prescribed by law.

Regarding the duties and powers of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion, the basic 24/24 clauses in Article 2 of Decree No. 41/2025 remain unchanged, with some wording revised and a point (point d) added to clause 6 of Article 2. Specifically, "Participate in and coordinate vocational training and job creation for students and young people from ethnic minorities and mountainous regions."

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/de-xuat-moi-co-cau-to-chuc-cua-bo-dan-toc-va-ton-giao-2517430.html