Nghe An has 468,281 km of border with Laos. In particular, Nghe An is also the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh, who together with President Kaysone Phomvihane of the Lao PDR laid the foundation for the traditional friendship between the two Parties, two States and the People of Vietnam and Laos. These are the premises for Nghe An province to increasingly tighten and strengthen its cooperative relationship with the neighboring country.
In addition, due to the long shared border, the formation of dual nationality houses in villages on both sides of the border often occurs. Most of the free migrants and unregistered married residents living in border communes have stable lives, houses, and cultivated land at their place of residence. However, they have not been naturalized, have not registered their household registration, identity papers, etc. This situation not only makes the lives of migrants difficult but also creates many complicated problems for population management in border areas.
Since 2019, thanks to the effective coordination in implementing the Agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic on resolving the issue of spontaneous migration and unregistered marriages in the border areas of the two countries. Many Lao and Vietnamese citizens living and residing in the border districts of the two countries have been facilitated by the Governments of Vietnam and Laos to obtain citizenship to stabilize their lives (specifically, Nghe An - Hua Phan: 137 Lao people stayed at their place of residence; 210 Nghe An people were allowed to stay at their place of residence; Nghe An - Xieng Khouang: 63 Lao people stayed at their place of residence, 307 Nghe An people were allowed to stay at their place of residence. Nghe An - Bolikhamxay: 02 Lao people stayed at their place of residence; 4,255 Nghe An people were allowed to stay at their place of residence).
Up to now, Nghe An province has completed the naturalization procedures for all Lao citizens approved to stay in their home country. This is a humane act that contributes to further strengthening the solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos and the border provinces of Laos and the border districts of Nghe An. At the same time, it facilitates the increasingly strict state management of border residents; maintains political stability, and ensures national defense and security.
When receiving the decision to acquire citizenship, the new citizens expressed their respect and gratitude to the Party and State of Vietnam in general, and the Party Committee and government of Nghe An province in particular. For example, Tho Ba Ly (born in 1992), currently residing in Huoi Moi 1 village, Tri Le commune, Que Phong district, originally from Sam Neua province (Laos), fell in love with a Mong girl named Ly Y Tong, so Tho Ba Ly moved to Vietnam to live with his wife's family and considered his wife's hometown as his second home. The young couple now has 3 children and according to Ly, his happiness was even more complete when in September 2021, he received the decision to recognize him as a Vietnamese citizen.
In addition to close cooperation in the fields of politics, security and defense, in recent years, economic and trade cooperation between Nghe An province and neighboring Lao provinces has developed strongly. In the period of 2017-2022, two-way trade turnover between Nghe An and Laos continued to maintain a stable growth rate. In 2021 alone, the total import and export turnover between Nghe An and Laos reached 22.8 million USD. Investment, production and business activities of Nghe An enterprises in Laos continue to be maintained and promoted. Currently, there are 20 Nghe An enterprises directly investing and doing business in the Lao market in the fields of: mineral exploitation, manufacturing and processing industry, production and trading of construction steel, tourism, small truck trading, agricultural and aquatic products, consumer goods, warehousing and transportation... with a total investment capital of more than 86 million USD.
Investment and development support activities have also been actively implemented, most notably the investment project to build Xieng Khouang Provincial Friendship Hospital, using official development assistance from the Vietnamese Government to the Lao Government, assigned to Nghe An province to implement with a total investment of 497,245 million VND. Up to now, the project has been basically completed and Nghe An province has also assisted Xieng Khouang province in professional training for medical staff at Nghe An General Friendship Hospital and Vinh Medical University; helped improve doctors' qualifications at border district clinics and hospitals in Nghe An province and created conditions for people to examine, treat and receive treatment between hospitals in the two provinces.
Cooperation activities in the fields of culture, sports and tourism have also been vibrant, especially in the period before the Covid-19 outbreak with some typical activities such as coordinating the organization of the Famtrip program "Linking Journey" - Hanoi - Dien Bien - Luang Prabang - Xieng Khouang - Nghe An, promoting the potential and strengths of tourism development of the localities. Directing the relevant agencies to implement tourism promotion activities between the two provinces, such as the Famtrip delegation of 25 tourism enterprises and Lao press agencies to survey tourist routes of Nghe An province. Thereby, they have supported each other in promoting and publicizing the potential and strengths of each side, helping to attract international tourists to each province.
In addition, in recent times, Nghe An province has also promptly supported the provinces of Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, Bolikhamxay, and Savannakhet with food, medical equipment to serve the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic with a total value of nearly 6 billion VND; contributing to affirming the close relationship and spirit of mutual love and mutual assistance to overcome difficulties between Nghe An province and neighboring provinces.
In addition, Nghe An province has paid attention to promoting the training of human resources for Lao provinces. Since 2017, Nghe An province has received and is receiving and training a total of about 1,000 officials, students and pupils from 6 Lao provinces: Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan, Bolikhamxay, Vientiane, Kham Muon and Savannakhet. Nghe An province's functional departments have also actively promoted professional training for officials of the corresponding functional departments of Lao provinces bordering the border. Cooperation activities in education and training have contributed to supporting the neighboring provinces to meet the demand for human resources in the new situation.
To consolidate and strengthen the cooperative relationship with the Lao PDR in the new period, Nghe An determined to continue to do a good job of propaganda and mobilization of people on both sides of the border to comply with the border regulations of the two countries. Strengthen the fight, prevention and suppression of free migration, illegal proselytizing and crimes on the border; promote the effectiveness of twinning activities between residential areas on both sides of the border. Well implement the two legal documents on the Vietnam - Laos border and the Minutes of the annual meeting between the border delegations of the two countries. Closely coordinate in the management of entry and exit through border gates, patrolling and protecting the border, landmarks, grasping and exchanging the situation, patrolling to ensure security and order; coordinate to thoroughly resolve problems and issues related to the two sides of the border.
The Nghe An Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee also directed relevant agencies to continue supporting policies for border provinces to build and develop infrastructure, especially commercial infrastructure and transport infrastructure to contribute to the economic development of border gate areas. Facilitate and encourage enterprises of all economic sectors and localities to cooperate and invest based on the potential, strengths and needs of the parties in accordance with the law and for mutual benefit.
In particular, in 2022 - the year of Vietnam - Laos solidarity and friendship, Nghe An Department of Foreign Affairs has advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue Plan No. 370/KH-UBND on organizing activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam - Laos diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam - Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. According to Mr. Tran Khanh Thuc - Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the beginning of this series of activities was the event when the Ministry of National Defense coordinated with Nghe An Provincial Party Committee to successfully organize the scientific conference "50 years of the Plain of Jars - Xieng Khouang Defense Campaign: Victory and lessons learned" in Cua Lo town. The Organizing Committee of the conference received more than 80 presentations focusing on in-depth analysis and contributing to affirming that the Plain of Jars - Xieng Khouang victory was an outstanding success in leading and directing the revolutionary war; is a vivid symbol of the great, pure and loyal solidarity between the Party, State, Army and People of Vietnam and Laos.
According to Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy, “the documents of the workshop will be extremely valuable historical data of the Party, the State and Nghe An province to serve the work of studying, researching, propagating and educating patriotism and the noble international solidarity between Vietnam and Laos for today’s and future generations. Thereby, contributing to further strengthening the close, loyal and pure affection between the two peoples of Vietnam and Laos, and the two provinces of Nghe An and Xieng Khouang.
It is expected that from August to the end of 2022, Nghe An province will have major activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam - Laos diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam - Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty such as: Seminar on investment, trade and tourism cooperation between Nghe An province and provinces of Laos; organizing a working delegation to attend activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam - Laos diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam - Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty; combining with attending high-level talks with Xieng Khouang and Hua Phan provinces at the invitation of the neighboring province. Organizing high-level talks, signing a memorandum of cooperation for the period 2022 - 2025 in Nghe An...
Mr. Giang Cong Huy - Head of the Border Consular Department (Nghe An Department of Foreign Affairs) said: Based on the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, the sectors and localities have also organized many meaningful activities. Typically, the meeting between the Nghe An Border Guard Command and the Military Command, the Public Security Board of 3 Lao provinces. Ky Son district organized regular meetings with Noong Het, Muong Moc, Muong Kham districts, Xieng Khouang province and Muong Quan district, Hua Phan province of Laos. Que Phong district organized a dialogue, cultural, artistic and sports exchange with Xam Tay district, Muong Quan district, Hua Phan province. Con Cuong district coordinated with Pek district, Xieng Khouang province (Laos) to successfully organize a dialogue with the theme "Friendship, solidarity, cooperation". Thereby, the leaders of the two localities exchanged information, experiences, and cooperated to help each other develop the economy, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty; building a peaceful and friendly border
In addition, the People's Committee of Nghe An province also assigned the Department of Foreign Affairs to preside over and coordinate with the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union and related units to organize a seminar to educate about the historical tradition of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States and the people of Vietnam and Laos; assigned the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association to preside over and coordinate with universities and colleges to train Lao students in the province, organize a provincial-level Vietnamese speaking contest, etc. Through these activities, it is aimed at further enhancing the deep understanding among cadres, party members and people, especially the young generation of the two countries, about the importance of preserving, consolidating and developing the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos in the new situation.