Vietnam, Laos strengthen cooperation in expatriate affairs

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (right) and Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ting Souksanh at the reception (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has suggested the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA) and the Liaison Committee for Overseas Laotians (LCOL) to promote cooperation in the work for overseas people, thereby enriching effective and substantive cooperation between the two countries.

He made the suggestion at a reception on December 29 for Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ting Souksanh, who led a LCOL delegation to visit Vietnam.

The FM urged the two sides to continue to coordinate closely and support each other at multilateral forums, promote regular exchanges and consultations on international and regional issues of mutual concern, especially strategic issues that have an impact on security and development of each country.  Son said that the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is ready to support Laos in successfully assuming the role of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chairmanship in 2024.

The great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos is developing fruitfully, and becoming more profound, substantive and effective in all fields, he said, attributing the outcome to important contributions from the two countries' Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

Son appreciated the trustworthy and effective collaboration between the two ministries in implementing the cooperation agreement for the 2021-2025 period.

Son welcomed the cooperation between the COVA and  the LCOL in expatriate affairs with specific contents such as the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), delegation exchange, experience sharing and training cooperation.

For his part, Souksanh said that the Lao Party and State attach great importance to the mobilisation of pverseas Laotians to serve the national construction and development. The LCOL wishes to work with the COVA to promote the effective implementation of the MoU between the two sides, as well as exchange experience in researching and developing policies for overseas people, he said.

The same day, Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ting Souksanh held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Le Thi Thu Hang, who emphasised that the special friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Vietnam and Laos has been developing comprehensively in all fields.

The Parties, Governments and people of the two countries always give each other trust, warm affection and intimacy, she said.

Hang affirmed that the COVA is willing to accompany and support the LCOL in building and implementing policies for Lao-origin people.

Host and the guest informed each other about the situation of overseas Vietnamese and Lao people, their contributions to their homelands and the two Governments’ support for them.

The two sides also discussed the organisational structure of the two committees, the activities of the associations, and shared experience in building policies and laws, and organising events for expatriates.

Sharing views with her Lao counterpart, Hang proposed that the two committees continue to promote cooperation, increase the exchange of delegations, and encourage Lao young officials to directly attend activities organised by the COVA to learn experience.

The two sides will enhance information exchange between their specialised units through different forms, and organise activities to connect the expatriate communities of the two countries, she said./.

VNA