DECREE No. 297/2026/NĐ-CP dated July 24, 2026

Prescribing the functions, duties, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government No. 63/2025/QH15;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 303/2025/ND-CP dated November 19, 2025, defining the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structures of ministries and ministerial-level agencies;

At the proposal of the Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs;

The Government hereby promulgates the Decree defining the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs.

Article 1. Position and Functions

The Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs is an agency of the Government performing the function of state management over the sectors and areas of: ethnic affairs; belief and religion; and state management of public services within the sectors and areas under the ministry’s state management in accordance with law.

Article 2. Tasks and Powers

The Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs shall perform the tasks and powers prescribed in the Law on Organization of the Government, the Government’s regulations on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structures of ministries and ministerial-level agencies, and perform the following specific tasks and powers:

1. Submit to the Government draft laws, draft resolutions of the National Assembly, draft ordinances, draft resolutions of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, draft decrees and resolutions of the Government in accordance with the Government's annual legislative programs and plans, as well as resolutions, projects, and schemes as assigned by the Government and the Prime Minister.
2. Submit to the Government for subsequent submission to the National Assembly ethnic policies; and policies on belief and religion within the scope of state management of the ministry.
3. Submit to the Government and the Prime Minister long-term, medium-term, and annual development strategies, master plans, and plans, as well as important national projects and works within the state management scope of the ministry.
4. Submit to the Prime Minister draft decisions, directives, national target programs, and other documents within the ministry's state management scope or as assigned by the Government and the Prime Minister.
5. Promulgate circulars, decisions, directives, and other documents falling under the state management scope of the ministry.
6. Regarding ethnic affairs:
   • a) Submit to competent authorities for promulgation specific policies, programs, projects, and socio-economic development schemes for communes and villages facing difficult or extremely disadvantaged socio-economic conditions in ethnic minority and mountainous regions, border communes, and safe-zone communes; investment and livelihood support policies for ethnic minorities; policies and projects supporting people in extremely disadvantaged areas; policies and projects for the preservation and development of very small ethnic minority groups and ethnic minorities facing numerous hardships and specific difficulties;
   • b) Submit to competent authorities for promulgation policies toward reputable persons among ethnic minorities; policies on developing human resources and attracting, strengthening cadres, civil servants, and public employees working in ethnic minority and mountainous regions; policies on raising people's intellectual standards, training, retraining, and employing ethnic minority cadres; specific policies for cadres and civil servants within the system of agencies handling ethnic affairs; policies enabling ethnic minorities to exercise the right to use their spoken and written languages and to preserve their ethnic identity, customs, practices, traditions, and culture; and investment and development policies for educational and training institutions to meet the education and training needs of ethnic minority and mountainous regions;
   • c) Submit to competent authorities for promulgation, or promulgate under its authority, criteria for delineating ethnic minority and mountainous regions according to development levels; list of provinces, communes, and villages in ethnic minority and mountainous regions classified by development levels; and criteria for identifying ethnic minorities facing numerous hardships and specific difficulties;
   • d) Coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies in formulating plans for allocating investment resources for socio-economic development and other resources to localities in ethnic minority and mountainous regions; propose and participate in the appraisal of programs, projects, schemes, and policies concerning ethnic minority and mountainous regions in accordance with law;
   • đ) Direct, guide the implementation of, and inspect the organization of Congresses of Ethnic Minority Delegates at provincial and commune levels; organize exchange activities and practical experience-sharing among ethnic minority delegates and reputable persons among ethnic minorities, as well as other events related to ethnic affairs to strengthen the great national unity bloc of Vietnamese ethnic groups;
   • e) Perform the management of specialized schools and other educational institutions when assigned by competent authorities in accordance with law;
   • g) Investigate, survey, study, and synthesize information on the socio-economic development situation of ethnic groups, ethnic composition, names, customs, practices of ethnic minorities, and other ethnic issues.
7. Regarding belief and religion:
   • a) Organize the implementation of the Party's guidelines, the State's policies and laws, strategies, plans, programs, schemes, and projects on belief and religion or related to belief and religion after they are promulgated or approved by competent authorities;
   • b) Act as the focal point for contact with domestic and international religious organizations, external religious relations, and human rights struggle in the religious domain; promote and strengthen the great unity bloc within the religious community in Viet Nam;
   • c) Guide belief communities, religious organizations, and individuals in conducting activities in accordance with law;
   • d) Preside over and coordinate with ministries, sectors, localities, central bodies of socio-political organizations, and relevant organizations in informing, communicating, and mobilizing the masses to implement the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws on belief and religion;
   • đ) Manage the publication of religious scriptures, works, and teaching materials, as well as cultural articles purely of belief and religion of belief communities and religious organizations licensed for operation by the State.
8. Direct and guide the building of advanced role models who are exemplary collectives, individuals, and reputable persons among ethnic minorities; reward under its authority or propose competent authorities to reward exemplary collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in labor, production, construction, socio-economic development, maintenance of security and order, and exemplary implementation of the Party's guidelines, policies, and the State's laws in ethnic minority and mountainous regions; reward under its authority or propose competent authorities to reward and apply policies toward organizations and individuals participating in belief and religious activities.
9. Direct, guide, and take responsibility for organizing the implementation of legal normative documents, strategies, master plans, plans, policies, programs, projects, schemes, national target programs, important national works, decisions, and directives that have been promulgated or approved within the scope of state management of the ministry.
10. Inspect legal normative documents promulgated by ministries, People's Councils, and People's Committees of provinces and centrally-governed cities related to the fields of ethnic, belief, and religious affairs; participate in drafting legal normative documents related to ethnic, belief, and religious policies in accordance with law.
11. Preside over preliminary reviews, comprehensive reviews, and assessments of the implementation of the Party's guidelines and policies as well as the State's laws related to the ministry's state management scope, and report periodically and ad hoc to the Government and the Prime Minister in accordance with regulations; serve as the unified focal point to monitor and synthesize ethnic policies and policies on belief and religion; review and urge the implementation of ethnic policies and policies on belief and religion across ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and localities; recommend competent agencies to promulgate, amend, and supplement to perfect ethnic policies and policies on belief and religion in line with practical situations and the requirements and tasks of ethnic, belief, and religious affairs of the Party and the State.
12. Direct and organize communications and mobilization among ethnic minorities, communities of believers and religious followers, and religious organizations and individuals to implement the Party's guidelines, policies, and State laws; promote good customs, practices, and fine traditions of ethnic groups; disseminate, popularize, and educate on laws within the scope of state management of the ministry; guarantee the right to freedom of belief and religion of organizations and individuals, as well as equality among religions in accordance with law; build and implement projects and schemes to strengthen communications, bring information to grassroots areas in ethnic minority and mountainous regions, and live-stream ethnic radio and television channels on the Internet.
13. Organize and direct scientific research into strategic, fundamental, and urgent issues regarding ethnic minorities and ethnic, belief, and religious policies; theoretical research and practical review of ethnic, belief, and religious affairs; apply and transfer scientific research outcomes, advance and promote digital technology, digital transformation, innovation, and environmental protection in ethnic minority and mountainous regions.
14. Carry out international cooperation within the fields under the ministry's state management in accordance with law; preside over proposing the conclusion of and implementing international treaties; conclude and execute international agreements on ethnic, belief, and religious affairs; mobilize resources to support development investment in ethnic minority and mountainous regions, and areas with difficult and extremely disadvantaged socio-economic conditions in accordance with law; manage, direct, or participate in the implementation of programs and projects funded and invested in by foreign countries and international organizations in ethnic minority and mountainous regions in accordance with law.
15. Build a system of statistical indicators within the ministry's state management scope, a database system on ethnic, belief, and religious affairs, and a dataset on ethnic minorities in Viet Nam.
16. Inspect the implementation of policies and laws; handle citizen complaints, denunciations, and petitions; prevent and combat corruption, waste, and negative phenomena; and handle violations of law in areas under the ministry's state management in accordance with law.
17. Monitor, inspect, and synthesize the situation in ethnic minority and mountainous regions, as well as the implementation of ethnic, belief, and religious tasks across ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and localities; submit proposals and recommendations to competent authorities to consider and resolve issues concerning ethnic affairs, belief, religion, ethnic minorities, and believers and religious followers.
18. Receive, visit, and coordinate with ministries, sectors, and localities in resolving the aspirations of ethnic minorities, believers, and religious followers in accordance with regimes, policies, and the provisions of law.
19. Provide training, retraining, professional instruction, and operational guidance in areas falling under the state management scope of the ministry and in accordance with law.
20. Decide on and organize the implementation of administrative reform plans, publicly disclose administrative procedures under the ministry's state management; perform other administrative reform tasks as prescribed by law.
21. Perform state management over public services and provide public services in areas falling under the state management scope of the ministry in accordance with law.
22. Manage organizational apparatus and personnel; job positions, civil service payrolls, civil servants, public employees, and workers; and implement wage regimes, preferential treatments, rewards, disciplinary measures, and professional training and retraining regimes for civil servants, public employees, and workers under the ministry's management in accordance with law.
23. Manage allocated finances, assets, and public investments, and organize execution in accordance with law.
24. Perform other tasks and powers assigned by the Government and the Prime Minister and as prescribed by law.

Article 3. Organizational Structure

1. Department of Planning and Finance.
2. Department of Personnel and Organization.
3. Department of Legal Affairs.
4. Department of International Cooperation.
5. Department of Communication on Ethnic and Religious Affairs.
6. Office of the Ministry.
7. Government Committee for Religious Affairs.
8. Department of Ethnic Strategy and Policy.
9. Center for Digital Transformation.
10. Academy of Ethnic and Religious Affairs.
11. VietNamNet Newspaper.
12. Journal of Ethnic and Religious Studies.

In this Article, the units specified from Clauses 1 through 8 are administrative organizations assisting the Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs in performing the state management function and internal administrative work; the units specified from Clauses 9 through 12 are public non-business units serving the state management function of the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs.

The Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs shall issue decisions defining the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structures of units under the Ministry (stipulating therein that the Department of Communication on Ethnic and Religious Affairs has 02 divisions headquartered in Dak Lak Province and Can Tho City); and submit to the Prime Minister for promulgation the list of other public non-business units under the ministry in accordance with regulations.

Article 4. Transitional Provision

The Department of Policy and the Academy of Ethnic Minorities shall continue performing their tasks and powers in accordance with law until the Decisions of the Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs defining the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structures of the Department of Ethnic Strategy and Policy and the Academy of Ethnic and Religious Affairs take legal effect.

Article 5. Implementation Effect

1. This Decree takes effect as from July 24, 2026.
2. This Decree supersedes the Government's Decree No. 41/2025/ND-CP dated February 26, 2025, defining the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, and the Government's Decree No. 114/2025/ND-CP dated June 3, 2025, amending Clause 12, Article 3 of Decree No. 41/2025/ND-CP dated February 26, 2025, of the Government.

Article 6. Responsibility for Implementation

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, and Chairmen/Chairwomen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-governed cities shall be responsible for the implementation of this Decree.

ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT

FOR THE PRIME MINISTER

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

(Signed)

Hồ Quốc Dũng