Nghe An province and Hua Phan province (Laos) signed a memorandum of cooperation for the 2023-2025 period.

On the morning of April 4, in Sam Neua town, Hua Phan (Laos), the high-ranking delegation of Nghe An province and the high-ranking delegation of Hua Phan province held talks and signed a memorandum of cooperation for the 2023-2025 period.

Panorama of the high-level talks between leaders of Nghe An and Hua Phan provinces. Photo: Pham Bang

EFFECTIVE COOPERATION BASED ON THE POTENTIAL AND STRENGTHS OF EACH PARTY

Speaking at the opening of the talks, comrade Van-xay Pheng-xum-ma - Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Governor of Hua Phan province happily welcomed Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province Nguyen Duc Trung and comrades in the delegation to visit, work and celebrate Bunpimay in Hua Phan province.

Comrade Van-xay Pheng-xum-ma said that Hua Phan is a heroic province, with the Vieng Xay revolutionary base and a large biodiversity conservation area. In recent years, the political situation and social order of the province have been basically stable.

Comrade Van-xay Pheng-xum-ma - Provincial Party Secretary, Governor of Hua Phan province spoke at the meeting. Photo: Pham Bang

In 2022, the total product value of Hua Phan province will reach more than 4,418 billion kip; the economic growth rate will reach 3.45%; the average income will reach 14.2 million kip/person/year (equivalent to 919 USD/person/year); the poverty rate will still account for 59.21%; the province will have 5 FDI ​​projects with a total investment capital of 17.98 million USD.

In recent years, Hua Phan province has strengthened cooperation with foreign countries, especially with the sister provinces of Vietnam. For Nghe An province, Hua Phan province has promoted cooperation in many fields, promoting the tradition of generations of leaders of the two provinces who have worked hard to cultivate, contributing to building the relationship between the two Parties and the two States to be forever green and sustainable.

Leaders of Nghe An province attended the talks. Photo: Pham Bang

Emphasizing that Hua Phan has 5 potentials: agriculture, livestock, handicrafts, hydropower and tourism, the Provincial Party Secretary and Governor of Hua Phan province suggested that Nghe An province continue to create conditions for provincial leaders, departments, branches and border districts to exchange experiences with each other; introduce Nghe An enterprises to research and invest, mainly in the field of agricultural processing; continue to train human resources for Hua Phan province; continue to consider and provide capital to build infrastructure for border villages.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province expressed his delight at the socio-economic development results of Hua Phan province in recent times; and at the same time believed that in the coming time, Hua Phan will promote its existing potentials for more positive development.

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

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province emphasized that Nghe An - Hua Phan are two close neighboring provinces, which have established a long-standing cooperative relationship, becoming an important part of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Vietnam and Laos.

Over the past time, the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in general, and Nghe An and Hua Phan in particular, has been increasingly strengthened, promoted and developed steadily. Besides the achieved results, the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two provinces from 2011 to present still has some shortcomings and limitations, not commensurate with the potential and expectations of each side.

Leaders of Hua Phan province attended the talks. Photo: Pham Bang

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung proposed that the two sides continue to coordinate effectively in border management and protection; the armed forces of the two sides coordinate to strengthen crime prevention, natural disaster prevention and disease prevention; promptly advise competent authorities to allow road vehicles of the two provinces to transport people and goods through Thong Thu - Nam Tay border gate; announce the naturalization of 210 citizens of Nghe An province according to the Agreement between the two countries.

AGREEMENT TO STRENGTHEN EFFECTIVE AND PRACTICAL COOPERATION

At the meeting, Nghe An and Hua Phan provinces agreed that from 2011 to 2022, in the spirit of solidarity, great friendship and mutual understanding, cooperation activities between Nghe An and Hua Phan provinces in many fields were actively and effectively implemented. Party foreign affairs were strengthened and promoted through delegation exchanges and cooperation between Party committees, which is the orientation to promote cooperation in many fields between the two sides.

The two provinces have coordinated well in management work, contributing to maintaining a peaceful, friendly, cooperative border for mutual development, creating conditions for localities and people on both sides of the border to meet, exchange, trade goods and conduct commercial transactions.

Leaders of Nghe An province (Vietnam) and Hua Phan province (Laos) signed a cooperation memorandum for the 2023-2025 period. Photo: Pham Bang

In 2012, the two provinces coordinated to complete the procedures and were approved by the superiors to upgrade the border opening to the Thong Thu - Nam Tay secondary border gate and are currently proposing to upgrade it to the main border gate. Nghe An province has supported 10,725 billion VND to build a road connecting from Provincial Road 3206, Sam Tay district (Hua Phan province) to Thong Thu border gate, Que Phong district (Nghe An province).

Nghe An province has also supported the construction of a community cultural house in Nam Tay village; supported the construction of 3 friendship houses; supported the construction of a VAC farm economic development model in Nam Tay village; supported food, medical equipment to serve the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic...

Nghe An province presented Hua Phan province with 500 million VND. Photo: Pham Bang

Investment, production and business activities of Nghe An enterprises in Hua Phan continue to be maintained effectively. From 2011 to now, Nghe An has received and is training a total of 289 cadres, students and pupils for Hua Phan province. The two provinces have completed the organization of naturalization of Vietnam and Laos for 347 cases that are allowed to stay in their place of residence according to the Agreement between the two countries.

People-to-people diplomacy has also been effectively implemented. The two provinces have coordinated to promote the role and relationship of 8 pairs of villages and 2 pairs of twin border posts; contributing to strengthening the special solidarity between the people and border protection forces of the two sides.

Leaders of Hua Phan province presented a souvenir painting to leaders of Nghe An province. Photo: Pham Bang

After the talks, leaders of Nghe An and Hua Phan provinces agreed to sign a cooperation memorandum for the 2023-2025 period on eight contents: political and diplomatic cooperation; investment, production and business cooperation; border gate development, transport infrastructure construction; culture, sports, health, information and propaganda; education, training and coaching; territorial and border work; resolving spontaneous migration and unregistered marriages in border areas; and twinning work on both sides of the border.