Savannakhet:Vietnam and Laos conducted their second conference on October 8 in Savannakhet province, aimed at promoting policy and legal dissemination to distinguished village leaders in the border areas. The initiative seeks to bolster border management, ensure security, and foster local development.
According to Lao News Agency, the event was a collaborative effort by the foreign ministries of both nations, bringing together nearly 300 participants from central agencies, relevant sectors, and local communities along the shared border. The conference coincided with the 64th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the 49th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, and the 49th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos National Border Delimitation Treaty.
The conference's goal was to enhance officials', specialized forces', and village leaders' understanding of border-related policies and laws. This understanding aims to improve responsibility for border management, protect border lines and markers, maintain public order, and drive economic development in these areas.
Participants engaged in discussions on various topics, including security and social order in border regions, the role of communication, and the influence of village elders in spreading border laws. Other key topics included citizenship and household registration, an overview of border affairs, bilateral cooperation, and regulations on immigration and cross-border trade.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van and Lao Deputy Minister Anouparb Vongnorke chaired the conference. They emphasized the importance of village elders and leaders in bringing border laws closer to communities and encouraged knowledge sharing to promote compliance with border regulations.
The conference also highlighted the need for community involvement in preventing legal violations such as illegal farming, unregulated migration, and unregistered marriages. Additionally, it called for expanding twinning arrangements between border villages, alongside cultural exchanges and socio-economic initiatives to improve living standards.
During their visit to Laos, the Vietnamese delegation paid tribute to President Kaysone Phomvihane, visited the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Site, and toured the Savannakhet Special Economic Zone and Inhang Stupa.