This morning, September 27th, in Tam Ky City, high-level delegations from Quang Nam province (Vietnam) and Sekong province (Laos) held a high-level conference in 2024 to assess the results of implementing the cooperation agreement since the 2022 conference.
Attending the conference were leaders of Quang Nam province including comrades Luong Nguyen Minh Triet - Alternate Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Duc Dung - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Le Van Dung - Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; Le Tri Thanh - Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province; along with comrades in the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province; and representatives of leaders of provincial departments and agencies.
The Sekong Provincial delegation included comrades Lechlay Sivilay - Member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Secretary and Governor of Sekong Province; Bunhien Bunchit - Chairman of the Lao Front for National Construction Committee of the province; Khamson Konnho - Deputy Governor, Head of the Provincial Border Affairs Steering Committee; and Suphanh Hadaohuong - Consul General of Laos in Da Nang .
Speaking at the conference, Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee, Le Van Dung, emphasized: The Quang Nam - Sekong High-Level Conference is an important activity aimed at promoting and further deepening cooperative relations between the two provinces in the coming time; especially in preparing for the Party congresses at all levels leading up to the National Congresses of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Communist Party of Vietnam to be held in 2025.
The visit and working session of the Party Secretary and Governor, along with the high-level delegation from Sekong province, demonstrates the special, close-knit traditional friendship between the two sister provinces of Quang Nam and Sekong, which continues to develop and deepen.
Regarding the preliminary socio-economic situation of Quang Nam province from the beginning of 2024 to the present, Comrade Le Van Dung stated that, based on the assessment, there are many positive signs of recovery compared to the same period in 2023. Service sectors have seen significant growth, international tourist arrivals have increased sharply, import and export activities are making efforts to recover, and agricultural production is progressing as planned.
According to Comrade Le Van Dung, since the 2022 Summit, cooperation and exchange activities between Quang Nam and Sekong provinces have continued to develop strongly in all fields, achieving many important results, contributing to socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security of the two provinces, and opening up many new opportunities in cooperative relations.
"Both sides have actively cooperated and coordinated closely in implementing the proposed contents, such as high-level leaders of the two provinces maintaining visits and working sessions to promote and further strengthen cooperative relations. They have also strictly implemented regulations on border management and protection between the two provinces, promptly resolving issues arising in the border area," emphasized Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Van Dung.
Furthermore, both sides are seriously implementing and promoting cooperation in the fields of defense and security, economy, trade, education and training, health, etc., creating favorable conditions for the development of both localities.
Exchange and cooperation activities between sectors and localities of the two provinces continue to develop strongly, contributing to fostering the friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States, and peoples of Vietnam and Laos in general; and between the sister provinces of Quang Nam and Sekong in particular.
Besides the achievements, some aspects of cooperation between the two provinces have not been implemented according to plan or have not been implemented at all. Specifically, cooperation in economics, trade, and investment has seen many positive changes and achieved some important results, but it is still not commensurate with the potential, strengths, and special relationship between the two provinces; the number of businesses from Quang Nam investing in Sekong province is still small and not truly effective.
The construction of the National Gate at the Dak Ta Ooc border gate (Sekong) has not yet begun due to the lack of ODA funding allocation; meanwhile, the design of the National Gate needs to be adjusted to suit the changing situation at the Dak Ta Ooc border gate.
The Sekong Provincial Center for Disease Control, supported by Quang Nam province, had its groundbreaking ceremony held by the two provinces on August 30, 2022. Quang Nam province was ready to allocate funds for the project, but due to regulations under the Budget Law, the Investment Law, and other Vietnamese laws, it has not yet been able to be implemented.
The transportation infrastructure connecting the two provinces via the Nam Giang - Dak Ta Ooc international border gate is still limited; the National Highway 14D from the Nam Giang border gate to the Ho Chi Minh Highway section near Ben Giang is severely degraded, affecting trade and goods transportation between the two sides, and impacting investment and tourism attraction from businesses in Sekong province and the Southern Laos region.
Furthermore, close coordination is needed in managing foreigners and foreign investment projects in the border areas of the two provinces to ensure compliance with the regulations and general policies of the two Parties and the two States.
The acceptance of key officials from Sekong province for postgraduate training has not yet been implemented because they have not met the requirements and standards set by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training for foreigners pursuing postgraduate studies...
"Looking ahead, I propose that the two provinces continue to seriously coordinate and implement the contents that the leaders of the two provinces have committed to at previous conferences, and be determined to cooperate to complete all contents as committed; proactively report and propose to competent authorities to direct the removal of obstacles to ensure implementation in accordance with regulations," - Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Van Dung suggested.
In strong agreement with the opinions of Comrade Le Van Dung, Secretary and Governor of Sekong Province, Lechlay Sivilay suggested several additional topics for discussion and cooperation in the coming period.
Accordingly, Sekong province requested increased support in education and healthcare for the people in the border areas of the two provinces; Sekong province committed to providing scholarships for officials and students from Quang Nam to study Lao in the future.
At the same time, we will strengthen promotion and create favorable conditions for businesses from both sides to explore and cooperate in the fields of agricultural processing, minerals, etc.
Speaking at the conference, Quang Nam Provincial Party Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet stated that Quang Nam and Sekong share many potentials, advantages, and opportunities for development.
Looking ahead, Comrade Luong Nguyen Minh Triet suggested that both sides continue to coordinate closely and further deepen the special friendly cooperative relationship between the two sister provinces; focusing on implementing key areas in a more groundbreaking, vigorous, and effective manner.
Specifically, the focus will be on strengthening cooperation in defense and security between the two provinces; and making significant breakthrough investments in transportation connecting the two provinces through the Nam Giang - Dak Ta Ooc and Tay Giang - Ka Lum international border gates.
"First and foremost, we need to focus on proposing to the central governments of both countries to invest in upgrading and expanding National Highway 14D in Quang Nam province and National Highway 16B in Sekong province as soon as possible. This is a crucial and decisive step in promoting economic, trade, investment, tourism, and cross-border goods transportation cooperation, strongly connecting the economy, trade, and investment between Sekong in particular, and Southern Laos in general, with Quang Nam - Da Nang and the Central Vietnam key economic region," said Provincial Party Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet.
Furthermore, Quang Nam commits to and is responsible for fully implementing all projects and works committed to with Sekong province. Once specific regulations of Vietnamese law are in place regarding the use of local budgets to support and invest in projects for localities in Laos, Quang Nam will immediately implement the projects and works committed to supporting Sekong province, specifically the Provincial Center for Disease Control project and the housing and office building project for the 105th Reconnaissance Company under the Provincial Military Command.
Based on proposals from Sekong province, Quang Nam will consider continuing to support new projects and works according to the actual situation and capabilities, with the ultimate goal of sustainable and stable development of its sister province Sekong, and for the common development of both provinces.
At the conference, leaders of Quang Nam and Sekong provinces signed a memorandum of understanding outlining 10 key areas for implementation during the 2024-2026 period. The next high-level conference will be held in Sekong province (Laos), tentatively scheduled for 2026.
During the 2024-2026 period, in addition to continuing to strengthen comprehensive cooperation and support between the two provinces, Quang Nam and Sekong agreed to focus on implementing major contents in their cooperative relationship. Specifically, they will continue to closely coordinate in implementing the regulations of both states on the management and protection of national borders in the two provinces; focus on investing in National Highway 14D from Nam Giang International Border Gate to the Ho Chi Minh Highway section in Ben Giang and National Highway 16B from Dak Ta Ooc International Border Gate to the center of Sekong province; create favorable conditions for the sectors and localities of the two provinces to implement previously agreed-upon cooperation programs; and cooperate in economic development, trade, cross-border goods transportation, healthcare, education, culture, tourism, agriculture, and forestry.
[VIDEO] - Leaders of Quang Nam and Sekong provinces sign cooperation agreement:
Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/that-chat-quan-he-hop-tac-toan-dien-quang-nam-se-kong-3141853.html
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