Laos declares national mourning in memory of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

On the afternoon of July 22 at the Lao Prime Minister's Office, on behalf of the Lao Government, Minister and Head of the Lao Prime Minister's Office Bouakhong Nammavong held a press conference, announcing that Laos will observe a national mourning period to commemorate General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong on July 25-26.

The announcement said that comrade Nguyen Phu Trong - General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, passed away at 1:38 p.m. on July 19, 2024 at the 108 Central Military Hospital in Hanoi, at the age of 80.

Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong has made great and important contributions to the development of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Laos and Vietnam, Vietnam and Laos. The passing of Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong is the loss of a close and dearest friend of the Party, State and people of all Lao ethnic groups. Therefore, the Lao Party and Government agreed to observe national mourning in Laos, including the Lao Embassy and Lao diplomatic missions abroad, on July 25-26, flying flags at half-mast and stopping all forms of entertainment activities.

According to the announcement, the Lao Government assigned the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with the Lao Party Central Committee Office, the Lao Party Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Commission and relevant parties to prepare for the high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State, led by the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and the President of Laos, to attend the visitation and funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi; coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos to prepare for delegations to pay their respects, sign the condolence book and lay wreaths at the headquarters of the Vietnamese Embassy in Vientiane, including the delegation of the Lao Party Central Committee, led by the Standing Member of the Secretariat and Vice President; the Lao National Assembly delegation led by the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly; and delegations of Party-State organizations, the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction, the Central Committee of the Lao Veterans Association and mass organizations, led by the Secretaries of Party Committees of each ministry and branch; Coordinate with relevant parties to notify the Embassy and diplomatic representative agencies of Laos abroad to attend the funeral and register the condolence book at the representative agencies' headquarters organized by Vietnam.

The communique specifically noted that during the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings in Laos from July 21-27, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs should pay attention to the most appropriate organization and notify all delegations participating in the conference, especially the organization of parties and festivals.

Ministries, branches, agencies from central to local levels, Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association sent condolences to Vietnamese partners and organized delegations to attend the funeral and register condolence books at the Vietnamese Embassy and Consulate General in localities. Leaders of Lao sister provinces sent condolences to partners.

The Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism coordinates with the Party Central Committee's External Relations Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare propaganda content on the great and important contributions of Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Laos and Vietnam, Vietnam and Laos in the media./.