Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired a meeting with ministries and sectors on November 17 to review Vietnam-Laos cooperation and discuss preparations for the 43rd meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee slated for early December in Hanoi.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (standing) chairs the meeting (Photo: VNA)

PM Phuc underlined the significance of the 43rd meeting in the context of the two countries actively preparing for their national party congresses and building a socio-economic development strategic for the next period.

He reiterated the consistent policy of giving top priority to the special relationship with Laos, and required ministries and sectors to actively implement cooperative agreements signed between the two countries, including those reached during the recent visits to Vietnam by the Lao Prime Minister.

The Government leader also urged ministries and sectors to define the direction for bilateral cooperation in the next period and create a new driver for bilateral relations.

It was reported at the meeting that ministries, sectors and localities of Vietnam and Laos have made efforts to continue implementing plans on bilateral cooperation, while supporting each other in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and maintaining exchanges in trade, investment, education-training and other fields in bilateral ties.

Ministries and sectors reported to the PM their planned directions for cooperation with Laos in their respective fields, with stress laid on settling outstanding problems, enhancing economic links and promoting joint work in culture, education, people-to-people exchange, especially educating young generations in the valuable Vietnam-Laos ties.

PM Phuc instructed making the best efforts to ensure success for the 43rd meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee, particularly completing important documents on cooperation for signing on the occasion. Those documents include a strategy for Vietnam-Laos economic, cultural, educational, scientific and technological cooperation for 2021-2030, and an agreement on bilateral cooperation for 2021-2025.