New points in friendly cooperation between Vietnam - Laos front organizations

(Baonghean) - Contributing to building and consolidating the special and loyal friendship between Vietnam and Laos, over the years, Nghe An has always strived to foster feelings, enhance exchanges and cooperation in many fields with neighboring provinces sharing the border. Most recently, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province organized a very useful experience exchange activity with the Lao Front for National Construction of Xieng Khouang province.

Under the attention of the leaders of the two provinces, at the end of 2008, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province and the Lao Front for National Construction of Xieng Khouang province came to an agreement and signed the emulation pact on building a peaceful and friendly border with 5 specific and practical contents.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province and the Lao Front for National Construction of Xieng Khouang province signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation program.

To implement this emulation pact, from 2009 to present, the Fatherland Front Committees at all levels of Nghe An have focused on performing assigned tasks, such as: Extensively propagating the content of the pact on mass media, conferences, and seminars between Nghe An and neighboring provinces of Laos; mobilizing, educating, propagating and disseminating laws to all classes of people, building mass movements to participate in self-management of border lines, landmarks, maintaining security, order and social safety in border areas; organizing twinning of 18 pairs of villages on both sides of the border; continuing to pay attention to improving the material and spiritual life of people on the border, promoting economic development movements, hunger eradication and poverty reduction associated with the campaign "All people unite to build new rural areas, civilized urban areas", supporting "Fund for the poor", "Relief Fund".

Thanks to that, now the border communes have car roads to the commune center, 100% have schools and commune health stations, the poverty rate has decreased from 15.7% in 2009 to less than 10% (according to new standards)..., contributing to creating a new look for the border areas of the Fatherland.

At the same time, in the process of implementing the task of building a peaceful and friendly border, there are still some shortcomings and limitations that comrade Nguyen Ngoc Nguyen - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province shared with the working delegation of Xieng Khouang province: "Firstly, although the work of propaganda and legal education has received attention, the effectiveness is not high; the border security situation, especially drug trafficking and transportation, is still complicated, here and there, illegal migration across the border still occurs.

Second, it must be acknowledged that the two Front agencies have seriously implemented the contents of the memorandum signed in 2008, but have not regularly summarized, evaluated, and drawn lessons from what has been and has not been achieved in the implementation process. Third, for many objective reasons, the information, exchange, and mutual visits between the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province and the Lao Front for National Construction of Xieng Khouang province have not been carried out much. All of these contents have been exchanged, learned from, and appropriate solutions have been found by both sides to overcome them soon in the coming time.

Delegation visiting the relic site. Photo: Thu Giang

Comrade Dam Dy Nan Tha Vong - Chairman of the Lao Front for National Construction in Xieng Khouang province also raised concerns and expressed many legitimate wishes to tighten cooperation in front work between the two sides: "Requesting that Nghe An and Xieng Khouang continue to closely coordinate with departments, branches and sectors to manage citizens who enter the country illegally and migrate freely; along with that, continue to educate the people on both sides of the border to imbue them with the viewpoints of the two Parties and two States; continue to pay attention to building twinned hamlets, regularly exchange information on front work to promptly detect issues that need to be handled.

And no less importantly, we hope that Nghe An will consider supporting Xieng Khouang in training on Front work, and regularly share valuable experiences so that Xieng Khouang's young and flawed Front work can increasingly mature and go into more depth."

The result of the detailed and thorough exchanges and discussions between the two Front agencies is the Memorandum of Understanding on the cooperation program between the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province and the Lao Front for National Construction of Xieng Khouang province signed on June 26 with the content of 5 points, in which it is noteworthy that the two sides have agreed to alternately organize a conference to exchange work experiences once a year to evaluate the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, as well as to strengthen exchanges and further tighten the close and close relationship between the two Fronts and the people of Nghe An - Xieng Khouang provinces. This is also the crystallization of achievements, the clearest evidence of the effective cooperation between Nghe An and the Lao province, leaving a deep impression in the hearts of your delegation, the impression of a friendly, open Nghe An, always ready to support and share experiences in the areas you are interested in.

As a representative of the provincial leaders attending and witnessing the signing ceremony of the above Memorandum of Understanding, comrade Hoang Viet Duong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council had positive assessments of the importance and effectiveness of the dialogue, information and experience exchange between the two Front agencies, commenting that this is a meaningful activity to foster the traditional friendship between the people of the two countries and localities, and at the same time hoping that the Fronts of the two provinces will deepen the relationship between the two provinces and two countries, increase the exchange of experiences, share good models and good practices for mutual development.

“In any circumstances, the Party Committee, government and people of Nghe An always pay attention to building a close and sincere relationship with the Party Committee, government and people of Xieng Khouang, further enhancing the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos. In the coming time, the provincial leaders will continue to create conditions for the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province to maintain and further strengthen the relationship with the Lao Front for National Construction of Xieng Khouang province, contributing to gathering and uniting the people of the two provinces, successfully carrying out political and social tasks, ensuring national defense and security”, comrade Hoang Viet Duong further emphasized.

Thu Giang