An overview of the talk. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

VIENTIANE – Vietnamese Minister of Home Affairs Phạm Thị Thanh Trà and her Lao counterpart Thongchanh Manixay vowed to continue their agencies' cooperation for the 2024-2026 period during their talks in Vientiane on March 25.

Both ministers exchanged updates on their respective ministries' achievements in home affairs during the past year, with an emphasis on progress in areas like institutional development, organisational restructuring, personnel reduction and civil service reform.

Following the two ministries’ signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation for the 2023-2026 period, they expressed their delight at the increasingly practical and effective collaboration over the past time.

During 2024-2026, the two ministries will continue holding the exchange of high-level delegations and leaders of their units and agencies to review annual cooperation results. Additionally, short-term training courses lasting 1-3 months on home affairs will be provided at Việt Nam's National Academy of Public Administration.

They further agreed to enhance knowledge sharing and offer direct support in areas where each holds expertise, such as personnel training in public administration, archives management, religious affairs, emulation and commendation, and State organisation science.

On a final note, both sides pledged to collaborate on submitting a digital transformation project of the Lao Ministry of Home Affairs for approval by their respective governments. The project aims to enhance operational efficiency, transparency, accountability and cost-effectiveness in the Lao ministry. VNS