Nghe An has more than 90 enterprises investing more than 200 million USD in Laos.

Attending the conference were comrade Nguyen Dinh Ba - Counselor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, leaders of the Department of Industry and Trade, and import-export enterprises.

Nghe An shares 419 km of border with three provinces of Lao PDR: Bolikhamxay, Xieng Khouang and Hua Phan; has 1 Nam Can international border gate, 4 secondary border gates: Thanh Thuy, Tam Hop, Cao Veu, Thong Thu and 15 border crossings.

Over the years, the two sides have maintained and developed a relationship of solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation. However, due to many reasons, from 2012 to present, the total trade turnover between Nghe An and Laos has fluctuated a lot.

In the first 6 months of 2018, the total import-export turnover between Nghe An and Laos is estimated at 15.36 million USD, an increase of 22% over the same period in 2017. Of which, export turnover reached 13.66 million USD; import turnover reached 1.7 million USD.

Delegates attending the workshop. Photo: Phu Huong

There are currently about 90 Nghe An enterprises operating in Laos, mainly in the fields of mineral exploitation, hydropower, wood processing and trading, wine production, construction steel production and trading, forest planting and exploitation, tourism, small truck trading... with a total investment capital of projects of more than 200 million USD.

Nghe An has actively coordinated with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to develop a border market plan. Accordingly, Nghe An has 30 border markets, of which 7 are currently operating, but the infrastructure is still difficult. The province is currently surveying and planning to invest in building a number of border gate markets and border markets under the plan, creating favorable conditions for the exchange of goods and trade between the two sides.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Ba - Counselor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos pointed out some regulations and policies that are causing difficulties and problems at present. Photo: Phu Huong

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Ba - Counselor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos pointed out a number of regulations and policies of the two countries that cause many difficulties and obstacles for management agencies and businesses. For example, Nghe An is still in the process ofProcedures for announcing secondary border gates and border openings in the area according to Government regulations, therefore, customs clearance of goods through here still faces many difficulties.

On the Lao side, the issuance of the Directive on strengthening the management of timber exploitation, transportation and trading has led to a sharp decrease in timber import turnover from Laos. Many enterprises that signed contracts to import timber before the issuance of the Directive are facing difficulties; transport and trade infrastructure in border gate areas, especially marketsThe border has not received much investment; coordination in fighting smuggling and trade fraud is still limited....

Ms. Vo Thi An - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade suggested that both sides need to strengthen border security work. Photo: Phu Huong

Economic experts and representatives of many businesses also proposed that Nghe An province needs to have solutions to mobilize resources to invest in upgrading border trade infrastructure, expanding and upgrading the transportation system, promoting trade between the two countries, and developing stably and sustainably...

Ms. Vo Thi An - Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Industry and Trade said: To enhance trade promotion activities between the two sides, encourage businesses to invest in trade activities, the functional agencies of the two sides need to coordinate closely, strengthen cross-border inspection and control, ensure good border security and prevent smuggling and trade fraud.

Thanh Thuy Border Gate Customs checks timber import and export activities through the border gate. Photo: document

At the same time, Bolikhamxay province is requested to upgrade the Nam On (Laos) - Thanh Thuy (Vietnam) border gate to an international border gate; open the Thoong Phi La (Laos) - Cao Veu (Vietnam) secondary border gate; and Hua Phan province is requested to open the Nam Tay (Laos) - Thong Thu (Vietnam) secondary border gate. The two governments are requested to pay attention to supporting and encouraging bank payments of import and export enterprises of the two countries.