The two parties will strengthen the trade and investment promotion activities, focus on boosting the growth of trade turnover, striving to gain the stable increase from 10% or more compared to the growth of 2021.
One of the key tasks in the Agreement on the 2022 Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Plan is to link the two economies of Vietnam and Laos in terms of both institutions and infrastructure.
The Chairperson of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee, Nguyen Chi Dung, the Minister of Planning and Investment presented the above information at the press conference of the Intergovernmental Committee’s 44th session result on bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, held on the morning of January 10 in Hanoi.
The press conference was co-chaired by the Chairperson of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee, Nguyen Chi Dung, the Minister of Planning and Investment and the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Planning and Investment and Sonexay Siphandone, the Chairperson of Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee.
In-depth information about the meeting results, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said that at this meeting, the two parties discussed, agreed, concretize the concluding comments of the two Politburos into the Agreement on Cooperation Plan between the two countries in 2022.
The signing ceremony and the awarding of 9 cooperation documents between the two parties took place at the meeting, with the witness of the Prime Ministers of the two countries, including an agreement on the 2022 Vietnam-Laos cooperation plan; The Intergovernmental Committee’s 44th session minutes on bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Laos; An agreement on project implementation in the field of agricultural production; 5 agreements on construction project implementation.
And that the Chairperson of the Cooperation Committee of the two countries gave the commitment between three Vietnamese and Laotian shareholders on raising the ownership ratio of the Lao Government from 20% to 60% of the authorized funds at Laos-Vietnam International Port Joint Stock Company.
Basing on the content included in the meeting documents signed by the two Chairpersons of the Cooperation Committee of the two countries, both parties expressed their implementing determination from the beginning of the year in order to boost the cooperation in all fields of politics, foreign affairs, security and defense, investment and trade.
The Chairperson of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee affirmed that with the motto of innovation and drastic action right after this meeting, the Government will actively direct ministries, branches, localities, enterprises, relevant units, to closely coordinate with Lao partners, immediately and effectively implement the commitments given in the meeting. The government will also set the goal to provide enterprises with the best conditions to carry out business in the Lao market.
The Chairperson of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee emphasized that the contents and orientations discussed in this meeting is very significant to concretize the senior cooperation agreements, helping the two nations’ ministries, sectors, localities, and enterprises will be more favorable during the cooperation activities, aiming at the successful implementation of the agreement on the two countries’ 2022 cooperation plan.
[Forming the motivation to promote comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in 2022]
For the economic cooperation plan in the coming time, the two parties have agreed to focus on well implementing the common statements; the two Politburo agreements and other agreements; including an Agreement at the 44th session. Particularly, the two parties will strengthen the trade and investment promotion activities in 2022, focus on boosting the growth of trade turnover, strive to achieve the stable increase from 10% or more compared to 2021.
In the investment cooperation field, the two parties agreed to strengthen the attraction of corporations and companies with financial and professional potential, to give the priority for the investment in clean agriculture, processing and manufacturing industries, to provide a potential area along the Vietnam-Laos border.
In addition, the two parties will evaluate, analyze to remove difficulties, support and promote the implementation of the large-scale investment projects such as Xekaman 3 hydropower plant, Luang Prabang hydropower plant, mining and processing bauxite ore and building Alumina factory in Dak Chung district, Sekong province, and a complex of cow raising and diary product processing in Xieng Khouang province.
Vietnam will continue to support the new projects licensed by Laos such as Cavico’s mining project in Bolikhamxay province, iron mining project of COECCO… to soon deploy, contribute to the economic development of Laos.
Vietnam and Laos continue to promote the effective implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government on the Cooperation Strategy in the transport field for the period of 2016-2025, with a vision up to 2030.
Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister and Phankham Viphavanh, Lao Prime Minister take a photo together at the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee’s 44th session. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)
The two parties agreed to authorize the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Laos to prioritize projects; firstly they should focus on researching, building and upgrading the route connecting the East-West economic corridor and to the region in the transport development project in ASEAN and GMS countries and Hanoi-Vientiane expressway construction project. The two parties also agreed to complete the survey items, prepare the environmental and social impact assessment report of 18B Road Upgrading Project and take the feasibility study to upgrade 18B road with Vietnamese Government’s ODA for the Lao Government in 2022.
Under the agreement on the 2022 cooperation plan of the two countries, Laos agreed with the adjustment rules of BOT term for 25 years from the date Xekaman 3 hydroelectric power plant re-energize. The two parties also consider adjusting the electricity selling price in accordance with the actual situation. Besides, regarding Phu Nhuon iron mine project in Na To village, Khuon district, Xieng Khouang province, Laos undertakes to take the appropriate solutions to ensure the interests of Laos Vinacomin, which has carried out the survey and exploration.
Besides the agreement contents related to economic cooperation, the agreement on the two countries’ 2022 cooperation plan also recorded many articles related to political and diplomatic relations; cooperation in defense and security; cooperation in education, human resource development and vocational training; as well as cooperation in other fields…
In 2022, Vietnam and Laos will organize the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year, the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relation formation and the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Laos and Laos-Vietnam Friendship Treaty.
Thanks to the good results obtained in this session, the two parties believe that this will be a new motivation that make the cooperation between the two countries more and more practical and effective, an important contribution to consolidating and strengthening the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos./.
Source : VietnamPlus
