Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s official visit to Laos on Sept. 9and 10., his first official visit abroad after he was re-elected asPrime Minister of Vietnam, takes place in the context of activedevelopment of neighbouring relations, traditional friendship andcomprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s official visit to Laos andco-chairing of the Vietnam-Laos investment cooperation conference aimsto affirm Vietnam ’s consistent policy to give high priority toenhancing and developing the traditional friendship, special solidarityand comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. It alsoreflects the determination of the Vietnamese and Lao Party, Governmentand people together with the Lao Party, Government and people, to boostbilateral ties.

On this occasion, the two countries’senior leaders will discuss measures to consolidate and promote theVietnam-Laos cooperation in various fields, including politics,economics, defence and security, as well as discuss regional issues ofmutual concern.

At the Vietnam-Laos investmentcooperation conference with the participation of hundreds ofentrepreneurs, the two sides will assess Vietnam ’s investment inLaos and work out key directions for future bilateral economic,investment and trade cooperation.

Since Vietnam andLaos established their diplomatic ties on Sept. 5, 1962, the two sideshave maintained annual meetings of the Inter-Governmental Committees,with 33 sessions, and exchanged high-ranking delegations, including theofficial visit to Laos by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong inJune, 2011, the official friendship visits to Vietnam by Lao PrimeMinister Thongsing Thammavong in Feb-March, 2011, Party GeneralSecretary Choummaly Sayasone in August, 2011, and NA President PanyYathortu (August, 2011).

The two countries’ senior leaders agreed to choose 2012 as the Year of Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity.

At the 33 rd session of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-GovernmentalCommittee, the two countries signed the 2011 Vietnam-Laos bilateralcooperation agreement, the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Agreement for2011-2015 and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for 2011-2020.

Vietnam has maintained its role as one of leading investors in Laos, with 252 investment projects in Laos totalling 3.2 billion USD.They focus on mining, electricity, agriculture and services.

On trade, Vietnam is the third-largest partner of Laos afterThailand and China . Two-way trade rose from 425 million USD in 2008to 490 million USD in 2010. The figure for the first seven months of2011 posted a year-on-year increase of 65.8 percent to 402.3 millionUSD.

The two countries agreed to boost economic cooperation to raise two-way trade value to 2 billion USD in 2015.

Education cooperation between Vietnam and Laos remains thestrategic cooperative field. The two sides signed the 2011 educationcooperation plan, a scheme to raise the quality and effectiveness ofeducation and human resource development, on the occasion of VietnameseMinister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan’s visit to Laos inApril 2011.

The further development of solidarity andtraditional cooperation between the two countries’ localities havehelped ensure social security along border and effectively settleemerging issues to build a borderline of peace, stability anddevelopment.

The two sides have also regularlyexchanged information on international issues and coordinated throughactivities of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),organisations and multilateral cooperation forums, as well as enhancedbilateral cooperation and utilised the Mekong River waterresources. Vietnam has actively shared its experiences with Laosin organising major events and in international integration to help thelatter in joining the World Trade Organisation and the ninth ASEMSummit./.