Hanoi (VNA)🎃 – Lao Ambassador to VietnamSengphet Houngboungnuang has highly valued Vietnam's giving the top priority toprotecting people’s health and lives, expressing his hope that the country willstamp out the COVID-19 pandemic soon.

In an interview granted tothe Nhan dan (People) Newspaper, the diplomat spoke highly of Vietnam’s effortsagainst the pandemic, noting that the country’s Party and State have issueddrastic directions to strengthen the COVID-19 fight, care for people’s lives,protect public health, and boost socio-economic recovery and development. He also applauded Vietnam’sissuance of many policies to assist people and enterprises affected by thepandemic. All-level authorities, sectors, localities, andpeople’s have also applied strict anti-COVID-19 measures, while the vaccine strategy and vaccine diplomacy have been carried out,thereby obtaining certain encouraging outcomes, the ambassador added. Talking about the Vietnam -Laos cooperation in the pandemic combat, he said since the pandemic broke out, thetwo Parties and Governments have made strong and right directionsand assisted each other in the task, thus gaining positive outcomes in eachnation. Appreciating the timely aidfrom Vietnam, Sengphet said Vietnam has sent medical experts andsupplies to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in Laos. In return, the Party,State, and people of Laos have also offered both material and spiritual supportto their Vietnamese counterparts. He described the two countries’mutual assistance in COVID-19 response as a demonstration of the specialsolidarity between the two Parties, States, and people of Laos and Vietnam. In the recent mutual visitsby Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and VietnamesePresident Nguyen Xuan Phuc, leaders of both nations affirmed that Vietnam andLaos will help each other resolve difficulties the pandemic has caused for eachcountry as well as bilateral ties, while working closely together in COVID-19response and socio-economic recovery. The ambassador voiced hisbelief that the bilateral partnership will bring about positive results in the COVID-19fight, thus contributing to the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensivecooperation between the two Parties, States, and people of Laos and Vietnam./.