Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) had talks with Lao Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Phosay Sayasone in Hà Nội on November 11. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has expressed his hope that Lao Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Phosay Sayasone will continue close coordination with Việt Nam to further deepen the special relationship between the two countries, ensuring increasingly practical and effective cooperation between the relevant ministries.

At a reception in Hà Nội on Tuesday for the Lao official and delegation, who are on a working trip to Việt Nam and attending the 9th Việt Nam–Laos ministerial conference on labour, the PM voiced his delight that the unique cooperation between the two neighbours has continued to grow strongly and substantively. Both sides have actively implemented the commitments reached by their high-ranking leaders, achieving significant results across all fields, including politics–diplomacy, defence–security, economy, labour, human resources development, and health.

The Government leader underlined that the great friendship, special solidarity, and deep mutual trust between Việt Nam and Laos hold even greater significance amid the current volatile regional and global geopolitical environment and economic challenges.

He affirmed that this relationship is irreplaceable and must be further nurtured, stressing Việt Nam will always stand shoulder to shoulder with Laos and provide the utmost support within its capacity for the latter’s sustainable development.

For his part, Sayasone said the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs (previously the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs) and the Lao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare have enjoyed a strong partnership, sharing experience in building and implementing laws and policies related to labour market development, social insurance, management of foreign workers, overseas employment, and services for people with meritorious contributions.

He noted that the two ministries also worked closely during Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2024, with Việt Nam actively supporting the Lao initiatives on labour and social affairs. During this visit, the two ministers held productive talks, reaching consensus on many key areas of labour cooperation.

Commending the bilateral cooperation results, PM Chính called on the two ministries to continue building on their achievements and strengthening coordination. Focus should be put on collaboration and mutual support in workforce training, vocational education, employment, social protection, policies for people with meritorious service, and poverty reduction.

The two sides, he suggested, should develop new orientations for Việt Nam–Laos cooperation in labour and national contributor affairs suited to the evolving context, paving the way for the signing of an agreement in this field to deepen and expand collaboration in the areas within their remit.

He also encouraged maintaining and enhancing the existing cooperation mechanisms, together with increasing information exchange, policy dialogue, and strategy research, particularly on emerging issues in a constantly changing world.

Informing the Lao minister that Việt Nam is building 248 inter-level boarding schools for primary and lower-secondary students in land border communes, many of which are located along the Việt Nam–Laos frontier, the PM said Việt Nam stands ready to welcome Lao students from border areas to study at these schools.

He also requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to strengthen technical cooperation and expert support for Laos in improving legislation and policies related to labour and national contributors.

He emphasised the importance of boosting ties in developing competent and dedicated personnel for the Việt Nam–Laos friendship, assisting Laos to train manpower for the labour sector through regional projects, diversifying training forms, helping with social protection programmes, and fostering cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations. — VNA/VNS