Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee warmly received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Laos

Also receiving the delegation, on the side of the Provincial People's Committee, there was comrade Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, leaders of relevant departments and branches.

Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee welcomed the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Laos to Vietnam. Photo: Pham Bang

Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee presented flowers to congratulate the wife of the Lao Ambassador on her visit to Nghe An province. Photo: Pham Bang

Speaking at the reception, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Laos to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang said that he had wanted to visit Nghe An province many times but had not been able to do so due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lao Ambassador Sengphet Houngboungnuang emphasized that during the period when the two countries fought for national liberation, the Party, State and People of Vietnam always stood shoulder to shoulder with the Party, State and People of Laos. In particular, Nghe An was the province that supported and helped the Lao people a lot. The Party, State and People of Laos always deeply appreciate the wholehearted help of Nghe An province.

Since the founding of the Lao PDR in 1975, Nghe An province has continued to support and assist Laos, especially the twin provinces of Nghe An. Thanks to that support, these provinces have had a new development.

Scene of the reception for the Lao Ambassador to Vietnam. Photo: Pham Bang

During the period when the whole world was heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, despite many difficulties, Nghe An province still shared both material and spiritual resources with neighboring Lao provinces.

In recent times, the work of maintaining security and order on the border between the two countries has achieved good results, especially in the work of preventing smuggling and drug crimes. And it is this coordination that has kept the border stable, promoting the bustling exchange of goods between the two sides.

Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang speaks at the meeting. Photo: Pham Bang

The Lao Ambassador also expressed his deep gratitude when Nghe An province shared scholarships and welcomed Lao officials, students and pupils to study. Nghe An province is the locality that welcomes the most Lao officials, students and pupils to study compared to other provinces and cities. Thereby, it has helped the Lao Government train high-quality human resources in recent times.

In his response, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung was pleased to welcome the Lao Ambassador to Vietnam and his delegation to visit and work in Nghe An.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the delegation exchange activities between Nghe An and Lao provinces could not be carried out. However, the two sides still have very good feelings for each other, regularly visit and share with each other in difficult times, especially supporting the provinces bordering Nghe An in the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke at the meeting. Photo: Pham Bang

Reporting to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Laos to Vietnam on the basic results of the province's socio-economic development in 2020, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung emphasized that despite many difficulties, in the past 5 years, Nghe An province, together with the Central Government, has supported resources to help Lao provinces bordering Nghe An with about 500 billion VND, of which the provincial budget is about 145 billion VND.

Despite being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, exchanges between Nghe An and Lao provinces sharing the border still take place regularly. The Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association also organizes many cultural exchange activities between students of the two countries. In the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, the two sides have closely coordinated and shared information with each other to prevent illegal entry and exit.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung presented a souvenir to Lao Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang. Photo: Pham Bang

Lao Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang presents a souvenir to Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung. Photo: Pham Bang

In 2020, Nghe An province supported neighboring localities with medical facilities and equipment, food, and funds to help localities prevent the epidemic and create conditions for development.

In addition, in the period of 2015-2020, Nghe An province has trained 623 cadres, students and pupils for the Lao PDR using the Nghe An provincial budget and in the 2020-2021 school year alone, 212 Lao cadres, students and pupils are being trained at universities and colleges in the area. At the same time, receiving doctors and nurses from Xieng Khouang Provincial General Hospital to train through intensive practice at Nghe An General Hospital.

Nghe An province also regularly exchanges information on the border situation with the three neighboring provinces of Laos on the border situation, preventing smuggling, drug crimes, and preventing illegal entry and exit. It has organized twinning of 21 pairs of villages on both sides of the Vietnam - Laos border and 8 border posts with the Lao border protection force.

The delegation of Lao Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang took a souvenir photo with leaders of Nghe An province and departments and branches. Photo: Pham Bang

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung also respectfully thanked Laos for its attention in helping Vietnam collect the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos and bring them back to Vietnam for burial.

At the meeting, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung also proposed and recommended 6 contents to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Laos to Vietnam. The Ambassador of Laos to Vietnam acknowledged and said that he would report to the Party, State, and competent agencies for consideration and resolution. The two comrades believed that the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, Nghe An and the provinces of the Lao PDR will forever be green and sustainable.