Strengthening comprehensive cooperation between border provinces of Vietnam and Laos

On the morning of December 24, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Border Committee held an online meeting to prepare for the annual conference on border work between Vietnam and Laos provinces with provinces sharing borders with Laos.

The conference at the Central bridge was chaired by Comrade Nguyen Minh Vu - Alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the National Border Committee. Comrade Tran Khanh Thuc - Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs chaired at the Nghe An bridge.

Maintain annual cooperation contents

This is an annual conference to implement the Agreement on Border Management Regulations and Land Border Gates between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic signed on March 16, 2016 (referred to as the 2016 Border Regulations Agreement). The conference is held in the spirit of great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, trust and mutual understanding. At the conference, the two sides will exchange and evaluate the situation and results of the implementation of the 2016 Border Regulations Agreement, the Minutes of the 30th Annual Meeting between the two Border Delegations and propose directions for cooperation in the coming time.

Comrade Tran Khanh Thuc spoke and proposed ideas at the meeting. Photo: Hoai Thu

In 2021, due to the complicated developments of the Covid-19 pandemic globally, it has significantly affected the implementation of cooperation agreements onborder workbetween the Central Border Agency and relevant ministries, branches and localities of the two countries. However, the two sides continue to make efforts to coordinate, maintain and constantly consolidate, contributing to maintaining political security, social order and safety, facilitating socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security in border areas, making an important contribution to consolidating and enhancing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Vietnam and Laos.

The bordering provinces have also regularly exchanged information on border management through various forms to coordinate in resolving border-related issues, in accordance with the agreed contents between the two countries.

In the coming time, based on the principles of safe adaptation to the Covid-19 pandemic, the two sides are expected to agree to continue to coordinate in many appropriate forms to effectively implement the two border legal documents signed on March 16, 2016 and other relevant Agreements and Arrangements.

At the same time, it is expected to organize meaningful activities to celebrate the "Vietnam - Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022"; the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam - Laos diplomatic relations (September 5, 1962 - September 5, 2022); the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation and the Treaty on the Delimitation of the Vietnam - Laos National Border (July 18, 1977 - July 18, 2022).

Propose specific cooperation contents

Representatives of the leaders of Nghe An and Bolikhamxay provinces (Laos) signed a memorandum of understanding on resolving the issue of illegal migration and unregistered marriages in border areas. Photo courtesy of Khanh Ly

At the conference, provinces sharing the border with Laos also spoke and proposed ideas on cooperation contents between the two countries, best preparing for the contents that will be agreed upon at the upcoming official conference, focusing on issues related to the border areas between the two countries such as: immigration and exit management; security and order protection and social safety; construction management; investment and trade cooperation...

For Nghe An province, with 468,281 km of national land border adjacent to the provinces of Hua Phan, Xieng Khouang and Bolykhamxay of Laos, border management and cooperation between the two sides have always been focused on, promoted and effectively implemented in many aspects. However, besides the positive results achieved, there are still some difficulties and limitations. At the meeting, the People's Committee of Nghe An province and the Steering Committee for Border Work of Nghe An province proposed a number of issues to be resolved at the upcoming official conference, which are the repair and reconstruction of national border markers and border posts washed away and damaged by floods on the Vietnam - Laos border; solving the problem of relocationfree residentsand unregistered marriages in the border areas between the two countries.

Up to now, Nghe An province has completed procedures for all 210 Lao citizens who have been granted Vietnamese nationality according to the agreement. The provinces of Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, and Bolykhamxay have granted nationality to 149 households/894 people out of a total of 4,772 Vietnamese citizens of Nghe An province who are allowed to stay and reside in Laos. Therefore, Nghe An province proposed to the Lao side to speed up the naturalization process for the remaining citizens of Nghe An province, creating conditions for people to soon stabilize their lives, integrate into the community where they live as well as facilitate the state management of population in border areas.

In addition to Nghe An province, representatives of many other provinces also proposed issues related to the management and protection of border lines and landmarks; coordination in managing border entry and exit in the new situation; procedures for import and export goods and vehicles entering and exiting through international border gates to be smooth, without congestion and in compliance with the regulations on Covid-19 prevention of the two governments. Further strengthening the coordination in management, inspection, control and information exchange to effectively prevent violations of the law and strictly implement sanctions against violators.

Delegates also proposed the issue of coordination in the fight against crime, especially crimes of drug trafficking and transportation across the border; coordination in solving the problem of illegal border crossing and encroachment to maintain security, order and social safety in the border area between the two sides of the Vietnam - Laos border.