The Provincial People's Committee listened to and gave opinions on the Draft Project "Comprehensive cooperation between Nghe An province and provinces of the Lao PDR for the period 2025 - 2030"

Attending the meeting were representatives of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and relevant departments and branches.

Nghe An has more than 468 km of land border adjacent to 3 provinces of Lao PDR, and has cooperative relations with the provinces of Vientiane, Khammouane, Savannakhet, Xay Som Bun and the capital Vientiane.

Over the past time, the cooperative relationship between Nghe An province and neighboring Lao provinces has been increasingly consolidated and developed in many fields, contributing to fostering and building the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties and two States, contributing to enhancing the position and prestige of the two Parties and two countries in the international arena, actively contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

However, reality also shows that the cooperation results are not commensurate with the stature of the special friendship between the two countries; the position and potential of each side have not been exploited. Some difficulties and problems need to be solved such as limited transport infrastructure between the two sides, lack of synchronous coordination mechanisms in various fields, and no breakthrough in the cooperation relationship...

The draft Project "Comprehensive cooperation between Nghe An province and provinces of the Lao PDR for the period 2025 - 2030 and the following years" sets out the goal of: Strengthening and developing cooperative and friendly relations between Nghe An province and Lao localities in accordance with the Central Government's orientation on establishing and implementing local-level cooperation with Lao provinces, bringing the relationship between Nghe An and Lao provinces increasingly deeper, comprehensive, substantive and effective; promoting economic connectivity, cooperation in investment, trade, cultural exchange and tourism development; promoting traffic connectivity, promoting the advantages of the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC).

Along with that, consolidate and enhance the special solidarity and friendship between Nghe An province and Lao localities; strengthen cooperation with localities on the border line, aiming to build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

In particular, the Party's foreign affairs play a central role in planning the strategic direction and goals for the cooperative relationship between Nghe An province and Lao provinces. Continue to maintain and develop the traditional friendship between the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee and Lao provinces.

Strengthening cooperation in politics, defense and security; cooperation in border management, border protection, landmarks; cooperation in border gate development, transportation. Strengthening trade and investment promotion; supporting Nghe An enterprises to export to Laos; mobilizing and effectively using resources to support development.

Strengthening cooperation in culture, sports, tourism, health, science and technology, agriculture and forestry; cooperation in education - training, human resource development; cooperation in ethnic and religious affairs...

Strengthen and expand the village-to-village twinning model between communes and villages in Nghe An province (Vietnam) and villages and border districts of bordering Lao provinces.

Promote the effectiveness of the twinning model between Vietnamese Border Guard stations and Lao Border Guard Companies. Organize cultural and sports exchange programs, traditional festivals, creating opportunities for officers and people of both sides to understand each other better and strengthen friendship.

At the same time, advise on integrating into the province's annual Foreign Affairs Program the arrangement of bilateral cooperation activities to exchange experiences, professional and technical fields of the Provincial People's Council, Mass Mobilization and Propaganda, Front work, Justice, Women's Union, Youth Union..., especially with agencies of bordering provinces.

Commenting on the draft project, the meeting participants affirmed that the Comprehensive Cooperation Project between Nghe An province and Lao provinces for the period 2025 - 2030 and the following years is a strategic, urgent and long-term task.

Delegates requested the drafting agency to review specific targets in the draft Project for the period 2025 - 2030; suggested that there should be solutions to further develop cooperative relations between Nghe An province and provinces of Laos; and that a specific list should be developed to implement the project's objectives based on clear advisory agencies, coordinating agencies and implementation resources...

Concluding the meeting, Comrade Phung Thanh Vinh - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee highly appreciated the preparation of the Department of Foreign Affairs - the agency that drafted the project.

Based on the comments of the delegates, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Phung Thanh Vinh requested the drafting agency to accept the comments to complete the draft project.

At the same time, it is noted that the project must inherit the results achieved in the past period, maintain and promote new contents according to the direction of the central ministries and branches on cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. At the same time, the draft project must clearly assign people, tasks and results.