Unitel network, a joint venture between Viettel Global Joint Stock Company of Viet Nam and Lao Asia Telecom of Laos . — Photo baocongthuong

HÀ NỘI (VNS) — The 2016 Việt Nam – Laos investment co-operation conference will be held in the central city of Đà Nẵng on March 26 and March 27.

The conference is being organised jointly by the ministries of planning and investment of Việt Nam and Laos and the Association of Việt Nam Investors into Laos (AVIL).

This is a national-level conference being hosted by the governmental leaders of the two countries and will see the participation of leaders from ministries, agencies, localities and enterprises, from the two sides.

The investment co-operation conference this time will focus on content which seek investment co-operation in sectors which Laos prioritises to attract investments from Việt Nam.

The conference will also discuss preferential policies of the Laos government towards Vietnamese investors.

This is an opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises and investors to access new investment projects in Laos, enhance connectivity and boost co-operation in investment, commerce, tourism and transport, in the near future.

A meeting between authorised agencies of Laos and Việt Nam, and associations and enterprises, will be held on March 26.

The meeting will evaluate investment results of Vietnamese enterprises in Laos, investment demands from Laos between 2016 and 2020 and orientation and prioritised policies of investments from Việt Nam to Laos.

The conference will take place on the following day, and will be hosted by the governments of the two countries, with the participation of about 500 delegates who are leaders of ministries and agencies, localities and organisations, apart from associations, enterprises, investors, and media, of the two countries.

The investment co-operation conference takes place in a favourable context, opening up prospects of investment co-operation between the two countries.

The two countries had their own development potential which could supplement each other through joint development, Đỗ Nhất Hoàng, director of Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the ministry, said.

The establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) opened new opportunities in co-operation in the sectors of economy, investment, trade and tourism among ASEAN countries, he added.

Việt Nam had widely and deeply integrated with the international economy.

The country signed free trade agreements (FTA) with big partners including South Korea, the European Union (EU), Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and especially the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The new generation FTAs would boost trade, create favourable opportunities for foreign enterprises when investing and doing business in Việt Nam, Hoàng said, while at the same time, creating a driving force for the country to reform institutions, create a clear and transparent investment environment and meet the requirements of integration and international practices.

The Vietnamese investment in Laos totals US$4.9 billion, according to FIA.

The country ranks second among countries with investment activities in Laos.

Vietnamese projects created about 40,000 jobs in Laos, which helped enhance labour capacity, generate income and contribute to the Laos State budget. — VNS