(MPI) - The mid-term meeting of the cooperation committee between Vietnam and Laos took place on August 12 under the co-chairing of Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, head of the committee for Vietnam-Laos cooperation and his Lao counterpart Khamjane Vongphosy, who is also head of the committee for Laos-Vietnam cooperation.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, head of the committee for Vietnam-Laos cooperation addresses the meeting. Photo: MPI

In his speech, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung said despite complicated and unpredictable developments in the world and the region, under the close leadership of the two Parties, States and Politburos, ministries, sectors and agencies of both countries have actively coordinated with each other to effectively implement high-level agreements. Bilateral cooperation has contributed significantly to the country’s development and to consolidating and strengthening the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

The five-year cooperation agreement (2021-2025) and agreements on the Vietnam-Laos cooperation plan in 2021, 2022 and the first six months this year have basically carried out on schedule and achieved the set targets.

Many Vietnamese projects in Laos have made important contribution to local socio-economic development, job creation, improvement of people’s livelihood, and to the Lao State budget, especially in the fields of telecommunications, banking, rubber plantation and processing, food processing, and milk.

The two governments are determined to tackle obstacles and create the possible conditions for enterprises to speed up the implementation of key projects. Vietnam and Laos signed a memorandum of understanding on the two countries’ border infrastructure development and connection, and thư two agencies have coordinated closely to review and amend the signed documents such as the Vietnam-Laos free trade agreement and the border trade agreement to adapt to the current situation and create optimal conditions for authorities in the implementation process.

Minister Dung emphasised Vietnam’s consistent policy are to give the highest priority to maintaining and developing its special relationship with Laos, considering it a valuable asset in the revolutionary cause of each country.

He stressed the need to continue to thoroughly grasp the content of agreements reached by senior leaders, minutes of the annual meeting between the Politburos and cooperation plans between the governments of the two countries. He also asked the two sides two work closely and urge other ministries, sectors and localities to actively complete the Vietnam-Laos cooperation plan for 2023 and the bilateral cooperation agreement for the 2021-2025 period.

The two sides should strengthen economic connectivity, improve cooperative efficiency and further foster education cooperation and human resource training. The minister called on both agencies actively promote their collaboration mechanism through the cooperation committee mechanism in order to remove remaining difficulties and boost the effectiveness of economic cooperation between the two countries.

Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Khamjane Vongphosy, head of the committee for Laos-Vietnam cooperation. Photo: MPI

Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Khamjane Vongphosy, head of the committee for Laos-Vietnam cooperation said that since 2021, under the drastic direction of the two Parties and States and the efforts of relevant ministries, sectors, localities and businesses, the cooperation agreement for the 2021-2025 is implemented with outstanding results in all spheres.

The two sides reached consensus on continuing to urge relevant ministries, sectors and localities to actively promote their collaboration and complete the Vietnam-Laos cooperation plan for 2023 and the bilateral cooperation agreement for the 2021-2025 period, particularly in politics and diplomacy, strengthening cooperation in defence and security, and promoting economic connectivity. They also agreed to continue boosting bilateral trade, and step up traffic connections between the two countries./.

Bao Linh

Ministry of Planning and Investment