Trang thông tin Tam giác phát triển Campuchia Lào Việt Nam

Overview of the conference. Photo: MPI

The great relationship between the two Vietnam and Laos is becoming stronger and more steadfast.

Speaking at the opening, on behalf of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnam – Laos Cooperation Committee, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung congratulated Minister Sonexay Siphandone and comrades accompanying the General Secretary cum President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith on paying an official friendship visit to Vietnam and attend the Conference between the two Ministries of Planning and Investment and Bilateral Cooperation Committee. The first overseas trip to Vietnam of the Leaders of Laos after the great success of the Congress of the two Parties, countries as well as the two National Assembly elections have further affirmed the great friendship between the Vietnamese and Laos Parties, States to be strengthened and solid.

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung congratulated Laos on continuing to attain great achievements in national construction and defense. The Ministry of Planning and Investment of Laos under the leadership of Mr. SonexaySiphandone has successfully completed all duties assigned by the Lao Government.

Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Planning and Investment of Laos Sonexay Siphandone expressed his delight to visit Vietnam and work with Minister Nguyen Chi Dung to generally assess the implementation of Laos – Vietnam Cooperation Plan in the first 6 months, the cooperation orientation in the last 6 months of 2021; summarize the cooperation between the two Ministries in the past time and discuss the direction to sign the Agreement on cooperation between the two Ministries for 2021-2023.

Generally assessing the implementation of Laos – Vietnam Cooperation Plan in the first 6 months of 2021, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung stressed that Vietnam – Laos relationship had become deeper and closely attached, played the core role in providing overall guidance for the relations between the two nations; the joint statements and high-level agreements between the two nations were well implemented from center to authorities despite the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The defense and security cooperation are well implemented, contributing to the maintenance of political and defense stability, social order and safety of each country, especially the stable border line between Vietnam and Laos.

Investment cooperation continues to have positive changes. In the first 6 months of 2021, there are 3 newly granted projects and 1 projects registered for adjustment with total registerd capital of USD 26.2 million, 5.6 times higher than the same period of 2020.

In the first 5 months of 2021, the bilateral trade turnover was USD 570.7 million, up by 39.3% compared with the same period of 2020. Of which, Vietnam’s export to Laos reached USD 280.3 million, a year-on-year increase of 23.5%. Vietnam’s import from Laos was USD 290.4 million, increased by 58.9% over the same period of 2020.

Training human resources has been continuously prioritized; and quality continues to be improved. Cooperation in other fields and between committees, ministries, line ministries, the National Assembly committees, localitites, unions and people's organizations are accelerated and implemented flexibly, effectively and practically.

Vietnam's non-refundable aid for Laos in 2021 was VND 715 billion and has been allocated to local ministries and agencies. Lao National Assembly Building construction is actively deployed as planned. For 14 new Open Aid projects proposed by Laos, the Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam summitted to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Chairman of the Vietnam - Laos Cooperation Committee had a speech at the conference. Photo: MPI

Vietnam – Laos relations continue to become deeper and closely attached, play the core role in providing overall guidance for the two countries’s relation

Regarding the cooperation orientiations in the coming time, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung stated that Vietnam's consistent policy is always appriciated and puts the highest priority to preserve and develop the special Vietnam-Laos relations, considered it as invaluable assets and important meanings with the revolutionary path of each countries. In the coming time, the two countries will continue to effectively promote the bilateral cooperation mechanism, especially the annual meeting between the two Politburos and inter-governmental committee meetings; coordinate to effectively implement the agreements signed at the 43^rd session; especially the up-coming 10-year Strategy and 5-year Agreement.

The two nations further enhance the efficiency in the cooperation in key areas such as national defense and security, trade, investment, transport connections, education and training, cooperation between localities and people-to-people exchanges. The two parties focus on giving priority, offer and creating favorable conditions for each other during the project implementation; continuing to accelerate the cooperation, support each other in Covid-19 containment and socio-economic recovery; closely coordinating to manage the border to prevent illegal entry and exit in the context of complicated pandemic, and ensuring the maintenance of trade and border trade.

Coordinating in developing plans to organize activities to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 45^th anniversary of signing the Vietnam – Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in 2022. Continuing to closely coordinate and support each other in regional, international and the Mekong cooperation forums, together maintaining the unity and centrality of ASEAN, accelerating the Community’s building and effectively respond to common challenges.

To effectively carry out the above contents, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung suggested Minister Sonexay agree to maintain and boost Vietnam – Laos cooperation , Laos- Vietnam Inter-governmental Committee chaired by the two Ministers of Planning and Investment. Currently, Vietnam is reviewing requests from ministries, agencies to complete and finish the list of participants in the Vietnam – Laos Cooperation Committee.

In terms of the cooperation between the two ministries, the implementation of Cooperation Agreement for 2019-2021 between the two ministries has achieved positive results, contributing to strengthening and consolidating ties between the two ministries and countries under the efforts of the two parties over the past time. The two parties has effectively advised the two nations to boost local ministries and agencies and enterprises of both countries to implement the Cooperation Agreement for 2019 - 2021. The two Cooperation Committees under the chairing by two Ministers, had directed the Permanent Departments to actively coordinate with local ministries and agencies of the two countries to organize numerous meetings, exchange and finalize 2 important documents: Agreement on Vietnam - Laos Cooperation Strategy for 2021-2030 and Vietnam - Laos Cooperation Agreement for 2021-2025.

The two parties often discuss professional expertise in the fields of planning and investment such as public investment planning and management; planning management; examination and expertise of public investment projects; management and supervision of projects using non-refundable aid (ODA) funds.

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung affirmed to continue the cooperation promotion of the two ministries for 2021-2023, focus on exchanging experiences with Laos in professional areas such as inspection work, statistical work, macroeconomic management research, private investment and special economic zones management; Continuing to promote professional training, organize short-term training courses for Lao officials in planning major when the Covid-19 pandemic is under control.

Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Invesment is willing to support modernization programs of Ministry of Planning and Investment in Laos by improving and developing modern, professional management softwares which are used in the Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam, and assigned the Cooperation Committee of the two countries to include it in Agreement on Cooperation Plan between the two Governments as a basis for the implementation.

Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Planning and Investment of Laos Sonexay Siphandone, Chairman of the Laos - Vietnam Cooperation Committee had a speech at the conference. Photo: MPI

Deputy Prime Minister - Minister Sonexay Siphandone agreed with Minister Nguyen Chi Dung’s comments and highly appreciated the results that Vietnam had achieved in the first 6 months of 2021. Despite being affected by the Covid-19, Laos believes that Vietnam will overcome the pandemic, the economy continues to grow, politics is maintained stable, people's lives is improved, and the country's prestige is enhanced in the regional and international fora.

Regarding Laos’ situation, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister Sonexay Siphandone said that Laos maintained political and social stability; gradually improved the people's living conditions and enhanced the role of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in the international arena. Laos' economic growth in the first 3 months of 2021 reached 3.8%, but it was forecasted to decrease due to the impact of the new Covid-19 wave.

Deputy Prime Minister - Minister Sonexay Siphandone thanked the Vietnamese Government for timely supporting and helping Laos in preventing the Covid-19 pandemic spread by sending medical experts, providing a large amount of medical equipment such as ventilators, sterilizers, protective gears, as well as contributing more than USD 1 million from the Party, Government, investment enterprises in Laos. In which, the Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam donated 500.000 masks to the Ministry of Planning and Investment of Laos and these masks were given to the Departments of Planning and Investment of Laos.

Deputy Prime Minister - Minister Sonexay Siphandone put emphasis on the role of the Vietnam - Laos Cooperation Committee and the Laos - Vietnam Cooperation Committee in promoting the ministries and agencies to implement the signed agreements. He also stressed the agreements of the two Politburos, Governments to promote the cooperation of the two countries into a new step, especially in the "new normal" with the spread of Covid-19, the two parties need to carry out solutions to effectively implement the agreements, bringing benefits to people.

Agreeing with the sharing of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung said that to promote investment of Vietnamese enterprises to Laos as expected by the two Parties, States, the most important things now were to remove difficulties, create favorable conditions for enterprises investing in Laos, thereby it would be easier to seek for investment from other enterprises. He also suggested that the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Laos - Vietnam Cooperation Committee continue to advise the Government to develop mechanisms and policies that create favorable conditions for enterprises to invest in Laos, especially remove bottlenecks about institutions, property mortgage, equipments import, customs clearance of goods, tax policies, accounting and auditing regulations, etc.

The delegates attending the conference. Photo: MPI

The Cooperation Agreement between the two ministries for 2021-2023 was basically agreed by the two Ministers and it was assigned to the Secretary Team of the two parties to update, complete the information which were approved at the meeting. The two Ministers will sign the agreement under the witnessing of senior leaders of both countries tomorrow, on June 28^th, 2021. The meeting took place successfully and achieved important results, contributing to consolidating the special relations and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in general, and the two ministries in particular; For the prosperity of the two countries, for the peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world./.