The 9th Vietnam-Laos Labor Ministers' Conference: Strengthening cooperation, expanding to many new fields

Signing ceremony of cooperation between the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare of Laos.

The event was attended by Vietnamese Minister of Home Affairs Do Thanh Binh, Lao Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Phosay Sayasone, along with representatives of central ministries, branches and leaders of Ninh Binh province.

Comrade Do Thanh Binh, member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Home Affairs of Vietnam, spoke at the conference.

In his opening speech, Comrade Do Thanh Binh, Member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Home Affairs, emphasized that the conference took place in the context of the comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos that is increasingly developing deeply, substantially and effectively. He affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and gives top priority to its foreign policy towards Laos, aiming to consolidate the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

The Minister also informed that Vietnam is strongly reforming the administrative apparatus, merging agencies to streamline, become more effective and efficient, in which the Ministry of Home Affairs takes on additional functions of state management of labor, employment, gender equality and meritorious people. This merger, according to him, will help synchronize management, training, human resource development, and strengthen cooperation with the Lao Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare in the new period.

Comrade Phosay Sayasone, Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Minister of Labor and Social Welfare of Laos spoke at the conference.

Speaking at the conference, Comrade Phosay Sayasone, Central Executive Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Minister of Labor and Social Welfare of Laos, thanked the host country for its warm welcome and shared about the socio- economic development achievements of Laos, in which GDP in 2024 increased by 4.3%, average income per capita reached 1,824 USD.

The Minister highly appreciated Vietnam's valuable support in many fields, especially labor, training and social welfare; at the same time, affirmed that Laos wishes to continue to deepen labor-social cooperation between the two countries, making it effective and sustainable.

On behalf of the host province's leaders, Deputy Secretary of Ninh Binh Provincial Party Committee Mai Van Tuat welcomed the delegations, affirming that Ninh Binh province was honored to host the conference with profound political and diplomatic significance, demonstrating the traditional spirit of solidarity between the two nations.

Panorama of the 9th Vietnam-Laos Labor Ministers' Conference in Ninh Binh.

Within the framework of the conference, the two Ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of labor and meritorious people, including 7 provisions, focusing on the following contents: Employment, occupational safety and hygiene, migrant labor management, social insurance, gender equality and digital transformation in the field of labor and meritorious people.

On the same day, the two sides also signed the Minutes of the 9th Vietnam-Laos Labor Ministers' Conference, agreeing on 12 specific cooperation activities for the 2026-2027 period, such as: Continuing to coordinate in searching for and collecting martyrs' remains; exchanging working delegations, sharing experiences on labor policies, social insurance, attracting ODA capital for staff training and supporting each other in ASEAN regional forums.

The conference affirmed the determination of the two ministries in expanding cooperation to new areas such as public administration management, digital transformation, vocational skills development and social security, in line with current development trends.

The 10th Vietnam-Laos Labor Ministers' Conference is expected to be held in Laos in 2027.

The 9th Vietnam-Laos Labor Ministers' Conference was a great success, contributing to further tightening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two ministries, two sectors and two brotherly peoples.

RICE CULTURE

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hoi-nghi-bo-truong-lao-dong-viet-nam-lao-lan-thu-9-that-chat-hop-tac-mo-rong-sang-nhieu-linh-vuc-moi-post922427.html