The meeting between Việt Nam’s Ministry of Construction and Laos’ Ministry of Public Works and Transport. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s Ministry of Construction has called on Laos’ Ministry of Public Works and Transport to strengthen co-ordination and accelerate implementation of joint projects, ensuring work on both sides proceeds in sync and achieves early connectivity.

Việt Nam’s Minister of Construction, Trần Hồng Minh, recently held talks with Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport Leklay Sivilay to promote major transport infrastructure projects under bilateral cooperation.

Minh said current transport collaboration between the two countries focuses on three key connectivity projects.

Regarding the joint investment project to develop Vũng Áng Port, which has shown positive progress, Minh proposed that both ministries coordinate with relevant agencies to implement the project effectively, ensuring investment efficiency and economic viability.

He also tasked relevant units with creating the most favourable conditions for Lao goods to be imported and exported via Vũng Áng Port in particular and Vietnamese seaports in general, boosting intermodal transport connectivity.

For the Hà Nội–Vientiane Expressway, Việt Nam has completed the Hà Nội–Vinh section, while the Vinh–Thanh Thủy section received investment policy approval in November last year.

The project has been assigned to Nghệ An Province as the investor, with construction expected to begin in May and completion targeted for next year. Minh stressed the need for further coordination to ensure construction on both sides of the border is synchronised and connected as soon as possible.

As for the Vũng Áng–Mụ Giạ–Thakhek–Vientiane railway, Minh said this long-term strategic project could transform Laos from a landlocked country into a land-linked country and should be implemented promptly.

To ensure practical and efficient operation, he proposed that both sides, particularly the investor consortium Petro Trade Laos–Đèo Cả, study and propose implementation mechanisms under a public–private partnership model. This includes project consultancy, management, division into component projects, identification and mobilisation of funding, and unified technology standards and technical regulations.

From the Lao side, Minister Leklay Sivilay expressed a desire to accelerate strategic infrastructure connectivity projects, including the Hà Nội–Vientiane Expressway and Vũng Áng–Vientiane Railway, while enhancing exchanges of expertise in managing large-scale construction projects.

Following the meeting, both ministers agreed to intensify exchanges to promote cooperation in the transport sector, especially key connectivity projects.

They will also study and develop new agreements on road and rail transport to facilitate trade, transport, and people-to-people exchanges before the Hà Nội–Vientiane Expressway and Vũng Áng–Mụ Giạ–Thakhek–Vientiane Railway become operational.

Both sides will formulate a detailed and specific implementation plan for the Vũng Áng–Mụ Giạ–Thakhek–Vientiane Railway, ensuring alignment on all relevant issues and enabling early investment and execution of the project. — VNS