Vietnam and Laos continue cooperation in surveying and mapping

Minister of Home Affairs of Lao PDR and members of the Delegation visited and worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam

Delighted to welcome Comrade Thong-Chan Ma-ni-xay and the delegation to visit the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa respectfully acknowledged that the Minister's working trip to Vietnam continues to contribute to promoting the traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, long-term sustainability between the two countries and peoples in general and continuing to promote cooperation between the two countries in the environmental field in particular.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa (right) talks with Minister Thong-Chan Ma-ni-xay

The Deputy Minister said that, based on the treaties, agreements and agreements signed by the two countries' senior leaders in recent times, the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has closely coordinated with relevant ministries of Laos, including the Lao Ministry of Home Affairs, to carry out practical and effective cooperation activities in a number of related fields such as surveying, mapping, land management, meteorology - hydrology, water resources, environmental protection, geology - minerals.

Regarding the cooperation between the two Ministries, the Deputy Minister highly appreciated the specialized units that have had specific cooperation such as in the period of 2014-2018, within the framework of the Agreement on economic , cultural, educational and scientific-technical cooperation signed by the Governments of Vietnam and Laos in Vientiane in 2012, the Department of Surveying, Mapping and Geographic Information of Vietnam and the Lao National Mapping Department have coordinated to implement the project "Building a basic topographic information database to serve the planning, socio-economic development and monitoring of environmental resources of the Lao PDR". The products of the project were handed over to the Lao National Mapping Department in 2018, promptly serving the planning, socio-economic development, national defense, security, resource management and environmental protection of the Lao PDR.

In December 2018, the Department of Surveying, Mapping and Geographic Information of Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Lao National Mapping Department. The two sides wish to continue to strengthen and expand cooperation in the field of surveying, mapping and geographic information.

“With Vietnam’s experience in building and implementing policies in the field of surveying, mapping and geographic information, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment wishes to continue cooperating with the Lao Ministry of Home Affairs in areas of strength and interest to further develop the relationship between the two countries in the field of natural resources and environment in the coming period,” the Deputy Minister expressed.

Minister Thong-Chan Mani-Xay (middle) talks with Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa

Regarding promoting bilateral cooperation between the two Ministries, the Deputy Minister proposed to continue creating favorable conditions for the Vietnam Department of Surveying, Mapping and Geographic Information to coordinate with the Lao National Mapping Department to exchange and share experiences in developing the Law on Surveying and Mapping and developing documents under the Law; continue to coordinate in developing the project outline "Restoring and perfecting the Lao national elevation network" and propose using funding from the Vietnamese Government for the Lao Government in the next phase as well as jointly mobilize bilateral and multilateral international agencies and organizations to support the two Ministries in implementing regional cooperation projects.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa presented a souvenir gift to Minister Thong-Chan Ma-ni-xay

Expressing his gratitude for the support of the Vietnamese Government and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment over the past time, the Lao Minister of Home Affairs said that thanks to the support of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in building a basic topographic information database, Laos has a basis for building a socio-economic development plan for the country. In addition, the successfully implemented projects on natural resources and environment in Laos are also vivid evidence of the effectiveness of cooperation between the two sides.

On this occasion, Comrade Thong-Chan Ma-ni-xay hopes that the two sides will continue to cooperate in exchanging experiences, implementing projects on surveying and mapping, promoting the traditional friendship between the two countries./.

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