Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Truong Quang Nghia, on Thursday, played host to a group of representatives from Laos’ Salavan Province, led by its Governor Sisouvanh Vongchomsy. 

The leaders of Da Nang and Salavan Province posing for a group photo (Photo: Quoc Khai)

The meeting aimed at reviewing the implementation of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed by the two sides over recent years, and discussing bilateral cooperation programmes in the coming time as well.

In his remarks at the reception for Laotian guests, Secretary Nghia extended his profound sympathy to Laos over the great losses in humans and property caused by the collapse of Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in  Attapeu Province on 23 July. He also expressed his belief that Lao people would overcome the dam collapse aftermaths and stabilise their lives.

The city Party chief remarked that his locality is aiming to fulfil its socio-economic development targets, with a focus on developing tourism services, hi-tech, investment attraction, and the adjustments to the socio-economic planning strategies, in a bid to affirm the city’s prestigious stature as a key urban hub in the central and Central Highlands regions.

With regard to the results from cooperation programme between the 2 localities, between 2002 and 2012, Da Nang gave nearly 12.9 billion in aid to Salavan Province to facilitate the Laotian province to deploy many projects in agriculture, transportation, sports training, and human resources training. 

During the 2013 – 2017 period, the amount of financial assistance from Da Nang for this Lao locality reached over 26.9 billion VND in total.

To date, all the cooperation programmes committed between the 2 sides have been still on track.

As for this year, the construction of a Vietnamese language centre in Salavan Province at an estimated cost of 7.1 billion VND is expected to begin in the 4^th quarter, and the work is scheduled to be completed by late next year.

Given fruitful results from the bilateral cooperative ties, the 2 sides will continue to realise Memoranda of Cooperation (MoCs ) for the 2018 - 2022 period in more effective manner which were jointly signed in October 2016. 

Alongside, the 2 localities will accelerate the cooperation in education, healthcare and tourism in the coming years.

In reply, Governor Sisouvanh Vongchomsy emphasised that, in recent years, the 2 sides have actively carried out many cooperative activities to maintain time-honoured friendship through regular exchanges of delegations.

Notably, the signing of MOUs in 1998, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 created a foundation for bilateral cooperation inmedical assistance, agriculture, education, security and defense.

The Lao official also highly appreciated Da Nang for its great support given to Salavan Province in promoting its socio-economic development, and enhancing the living standards of its residents. 

He hoped that the 2 localities would continue to enhance the cooperative ties in a even more practical, intensive and result-oriented manner, hereby helping to strengthening the “forever green and forever sustainable” friendship and solidarity between the 2 countries.