Nghe An and Houaphanh provinces agreed to continue to enhance cooperation on 8 contents, aiming at contributing to build a sustainable special close relationship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

On the morning of April 04, in Xam Neua, Houaphanh  province (Laos), the delegation of Nghe An province and the delegation of Houaphanh province held a high-level talk and signed a memorandum of cooperation for the 2023- 2025 period.

The delegation of Nghe An province includes: Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee led the delegation, Colonel Phan Dai Nghia - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Commander of the Provincial Military Command and leaders of relevant departments and sectors.

On the side of Houaphanh province (Laos), there are: Mr. Vanxay Phengsumma - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Houaphanh Province’s governor as the head of the delegation and leaders of relevant departments and sectors.

Overview of high-level talks between leaders of Nghe An and Houaphanh provinces

Effective collaboration bases on potentials and strengths of each side

Speaking at the opening of the high-level talk, Mr. Vanxay Phengsumma - Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Houaphanh Province’s Governor gladly welcomed the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Nghe An PPC Nguyen Duc Trung and members of the delegation to visit, work and greet Bunpimay New year in Houaphanh province.

In 2022, total product value of Houaphanh province reached more than 4,418 billion Laotian kip. The economic growth rate of Houaphanh province is 3.45%, the average income per capita is 14.2 million Laotian kip/person/year, equivalent to 919 USD/year. The rate of poor households accounted for 59.21%. The province has 5 FDI projects with total investment capital of 17.98 million USD.

Over the years, Houaphanh province has enhanced collaboration with foreign countries, especially with Vietnam. For Nghe An province, Houaphanh province has promoted cooperation in many fields, promote the traditions of generations of leaders of the two provinces, contribute to building the relationship between the two sides and two states forever green, sustainable forever.

Leaders of Nghe An province attend the talk

Addressing at the talk, Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Nghe An PPC is delighted with the results of Socio-economic development of Houaphanh province over the past time; At the same time, he believes that in the coming time, Houaphanh province will promote the available potentials for further positive development.

The Chairman emphasized that Nghe An and Houaphanh provinces are close neighbors, have long-standing cooperative relationship, become an important part of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two parties, the two states and the peoples of Vietnam and Laos.

During the past time, the special relationship of solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam - Laos in general and Nghe An and Houaphanh provinces in particular has been increasingly enhanced, promoted and developed steadily. In addition the achieved results, the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two provinces since 2011 still has some shortcomings, limitations, and is not commensurate with the potential and expectations of each side.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung suggested that the two sides continue to coordinate and advise effectively on border management and protection. The armed forces of the two sides cooperate to enhance crime prevention, natural disaster and disease prevention. Early advise the competent authorities to allow road motor vehicle of the two provinces to transport people and goods through the Thong Thu - Nam Tay border checkpoint; announced naturalization for 210 citizens of Nghe An province under the agreement between the two countries.

Unified to enhance effective and substantive collaboration

At the talk, the Nghe An and Houaphanh provinces agreed to evaluate in the spirit of solidarity, great friendship and mutual understanding, cooperation activities of Nghe An and Houaphanh provinces in many fields have been actively and effectively implemented from 2011 to 2022. The Party's external affairs have been focused and promoted through the exchange of Union and cooperation between Party committees, which is the orientation to promote collaboration in many fields between the two sides.

The two provinces have coordinated to perform well the management work, contributing to maintaining the border of peace and friendship, the cooperation for mutual development, making conditions for localities and people on both sides of the border to meet, exchange, trade in goods, and trade transactions.

Leaders of Nghe An province (Vietnam) and Houaphanh province (Laos) sign a cooperation agreement for the 2023-2025 period.

In 2012, the two provinces has collaborated to complete the procedures and decided to upgrade from the border opening to the Thong Thu - Nam Tay sub-border checkpoint and is currently upgrading to the main border checkpoint. Nghe An province has assisted 10,725 billion VND to build a road connecting provincial road 3206, Xamtay district (Houaphanh province) to Thong Thu border checkpoint, Que Phong district (Nghe An province).

Nghe An province has also assisted in building the community cultural activities in Nam Tay village; building three friendship houses; building VAC farms in Nam Tay village; assisting food, medical equipment for the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Investment, production and business activities of Nghe An enterprises in Houaphanh province continued to be maintained effectively. From 2011 to now, Nghe An has been receiving and training a total of 289 cadres, pupils and students for Houaphanh province. The two provinces have completed the organization of naturalization of Vietnam and Laos for 347 citizens to stay in their places of residence under the Agreement between the two countries.

People's diplomacy has also been effectively deployed. The two provinces have collaborated to promote well the role and relationship of 8 pairs of villages - villages and 2 pairs of border posts; contributing to strengthening the special solidarity between the people and border guard forces of the two sides.

After the talk, leaders of Nghe An province and Houaphanh  province agreed to sign a memorandum of cooperation for the 2023-2025 period on 8 contents: Political and diplomatic cooperation; cooperation  in investment, production and business; development of border checkpoints, construction of transport infrastructure; culture, sports, health, information propaganda; education, training, fostering; territory - border work; completely solve the situation of free migration and unregistered marriage in border areas; brotherhood of both sides.

Pham Bang

Source: Nghe An Newspaper (April 04, 2023)