(VOVworld)- The 2013 Global Forum for Development of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was held in Paris over the last two days. With the theme “Creative approach in poverty reduction, increasing social cohesion and progress”, the forum introduced a new concept “Social Cohesion” as a measurement of efficiency of poverty reduction. In his address, OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said that the world is witnessing considerable progresses in poverty reduction and Vietnam was the first example in implementing the new approach “Social Cohesion” in poverty reduction.

The 2013 Global Forum for Development of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris

Attending the event, Director of the Department of Policies on Ethnic Minorities of the Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs, Trinh Cong Khanh  presented a report on poverty reduction in ethnic minority areas in Vietnam. Mr. Khanh said: “The Vietnamese government has implemented a number of policies and programs on socio economic development and sustainable poverty reduction in ethnic minority areas. However, these policies are still overlapping and the resources are insufficient, so some projects are ineffective. Participating in this forum, Vietnam wanted to share and learn experience from OECD and other countries in developing policies for vulnerable people in society, especially for ethnic minority people so that we can achieve bigger success with small resources”.

Director of the Department of Policies on Ethnic Minorities of the Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs, Trinh Cong Khanh

The OECD selected Vietnam as the first cooperation partner in implementing the poverty reduction project in combination with social cohesion approach. Ms Ji Yeun Rim, who is in charge of the project, says: “Our project in Vietnam focuses on evaluating the impacts that rapid and strong growth have on social cohesion. Vietnam has a relatively rapid growth in the region and so it is important to look at possible imbalance in growth. We need to take into consideration the quality of lives of vulnerable people in society, the gaps between the rich and the poor and the mobilization of social resources”.

Ms Ji Yeun Rim is in charge of OECD's poverty reduction project in Vietnam

The OECD’s Forum on Development was founded in 2006 attracting dozens of world leaders and researchers. The forum has discussed ways to reduce poverty, narrow gaps between the rich and the poor and prevent the imbalance on economic growth.

Thuy Van- VOV correspondent in Paris