Vietnam, Laos foster collaboration in home affairs
Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra held a working session in Hanoi on May 23 with her Lao counterpart Thongchanh Manixay, during which both sides expressed delight at the close cooperation between the two ministries and the fruitful outcomes of joint activities.
The two ministries sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the 2023-2026 period. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Home Affairs Pham ThiThanh Tra held a working session in Hanoi on May 23 with her Lao counterpart ThongchanhManixay, during which both sides expressed delight at the close cooperation betweenthe two ministries and the fruitful outcomes of joint activities.
The two ministries have enjoyed effective partnership in high-leveldelegation exchange, personnel training for the Lao side, experience sharing in administrative reform and religious affairs, and the building of a national archive centre of Laos,said Tra.
She said that the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam isfocusing on reshuffling, speeding up administrative reform, decentralizationand power delegation, and renovating the local administration operations. Itis working on two draft laws and many resolutions as well as other legaldocuments.
The ministry has streamlined the administrative apparatus by reducing 8 districts and 563 communes, along with 10%administrative units and 13.5% non-business units. The number of civil servantshas decreased 10.01%, while that of public employees has reduced 11.67%, shesaid.
For his part, Thongchanh Manixay said that the Lao Ministry of Home Affairs was established in 2011, thus the Lao side hopesto learn from professional experience of Vietnam, especially in State managementover religious affairs, local administration management, and the buildingof communal-level administrative units.
The minister briefed his host on a number of achievements that hisministry has gained so far, including simplifying its organization.
The two sides agreed that despite the positive cooperationresults, the partnership between the two sides has yet to meet expectations dueto the impact of COVID-19.
To deepen bilateral cooperation in the 2023-2026 period, they will increase the exchange of high-level delegations and cooperation inpersonnel training as well as experience sharing, while working together on a project on the digitization of the Lao Ministry of Home Affairs to submit to the Laos-Vietnam,Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Committees and the two Governments.
Following the working session, the two ministries signed amemorandum of understanding on cooperation in the 2023-2026 period.
Under the deal, the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam willsend lecturers and experts to Laos to help with the building of legal policiesand organize short-term training courses for Lao officials in different fieldsfollowing requests from the Lao side./.
Each year, Vietnam will also receive delegations of Lao officialswith about 20 officials each to join 1-3-month courses on fields under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs./.
The Laos-Vietnam Friendship Hospital, the largest health care infrastructure project that Vietnam has presented to Laos, was inaugurated in Laos’ northern province of Xiangkhouang on May 17.
Remains of nine Vietnamese volunteer experts and soldiers, who laid down their lives in Savannakhet province, Laos, were repatriated following a handover ceremony at Lao Bao – Densavan International Border Gate in the central province of Quang Tri on May 17.
Sen. Lt. Gen. Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, received a delegation of the Engineering Department of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army led by its Director Maj. Gen. Viengxay Xaysamone in Hanoi on May 19.
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NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the need to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence and smart teaching equipment, innovate teaching and assessment methods, and further improve the quality of formal education.
He also pledged that the NA will promote its ongoing supervision, making sure that every promise must lead to results, and every commitment must bring about real changes.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien welcomed the proposals put forward by the US side and reiterated Vietnam’s request for consideration of key areas of interest, including reciprocal tariff policies and access for Vietnamese key export products to the US market.
Deputy PM Le Thanh Long proposed countries promote shared values, including building trust, sincerity, and solidarity among nations and peoples; fostering cooperation spirit and responsible behaviour as well as upholding international law and the UN Charter; and placing people at the centre and as the goal, the key player, and the driving force of all policies.
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The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel is closely coordinating with relevant local agencies to stay informed and provide the utmost support possible for Vietnamese nationals.
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Addressing concerns over university education spending, Son explained that as public universities gain greater autonomy, the Ministry of Finance has scaled back recurrent state funding. “Over the past decade, as autonomy has increased, the State's support has steadily declined”, he noted
Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane affirmed that the presence of Vietnamese press offices in Laos vividly demonstrates the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, as the press is not only a means of communication but also an important bridge for spreading consciousness about the history, values, and strategic depth of the Laos – Vietnam relationship to the people of both countries and the international community.
The country is willing to participate in collective efforts to promote cooperation and mobilise resources to advance the current priority issues of developing countries, such as trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity, making the most of scientific and technological advances for development, and people-to-people exchanges, Hang said.
During the negotiations, the US highly evaluated Vietnam’s goodwill and efforts, affirmed its appreciation for the bilateral relationship, acknowledged Vietnam’s proposals and concerns, and considered these an important basis for continuing discussions and moving towards a final agreement.
The Chairman stressed the need for stricter fiscal discipline, faster digital transformation, and more efficient management of State budget revenues and expenditures.
The ministry has instructed Vietnamese representative agencies in Israel, Iran, as well as those in neighbouring countries, to closely monitor the situation and request local authorities to ensure absolute safety for Vietnamese citizens living, studying, and working in high-risk areas.
The two ministries sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the 2023-2026 period. (Photo: VNA) 
