Vientiane (VNA) – A delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by its Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang paid a working visit to Laos on July 15 - 16, during which the two sides agreed to step up cooperation and exchange experiences in affairs related to overseas Vietnamese and Lao communities.
As part of the visit, the Vietnamese diplomat paid a courtesy call on Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane and held talks with Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Phongsavanh Sisoulath.
At the meeting with Thongsavanh, Hang expressed her appreciation for the close cooperation between the Vietnamese and Lao Ministries of Foreign Affairs. She noted that the successful organisation of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the 12th National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party opened a new stage of development for each country, creating fresh momentum for the bilateral relationship.
The Vietnamese official said both countries regard science and technology as a key driver of breakthrough development while placing importance on mobilising all available resources, including contributions from overseas Vietnamese and Lao communities, to support national development.
On the occasion, Thongsavanh conveyed his regards to Politburo member and Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung.
Hang thanked the Lao Party, State and Government, as well as Thongsavanh personally, for their continued support and favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Laos to live and work stably, enabling them to promote their role as a bridge of friendship between the two nations.
Thongsavanh expressed great appreciation for the Vietnamese community’s contributions to Laos’s development over various historical periods. He assured that Laos will continue to create favourable conditions for the community to maintain its tradition of solidarity and help strengthen the special Vietnam–Laos friendship.
The two sides agreed that cooperation in overseas community affairs remains an important area for expansion.
At the talks with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Phongsavanh Sisoulath, the Lao official said nearly one million Lao citizens are living abroad, accounting for more than 10% of the country's population, mainly in the US, France, Canada and Australia. He said Laos is continuing to improve its legal framework to attract investment and encourage overseas Lao intellectuals to contribute to national development.
Hang congratulated Laos on its achievements in overseas Lao affairs, particularly since the two sides exchanged experience in 2023, describing the progress as evidence of the close attention paid by the Lao Party, State and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to overseas Lao communities.
The two officials also hailed the implementation of the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding between the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese and the Liaison Committee for Overseas Laotians, saying regular delegation exchanges and experience sharing have strengthened policy coordination and cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
They agreed to maintain delegation exchanges, share experience in policymaking, mobilise overseas resources for development, preserve national cultural identities, and jointly organise activities for overseas Vietnamese and Lao communities.
The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in overseas Vietnamese and overseas Lao affairs for the 2026–2030 period, providing a framework for future collaboration. Laos will send a delegation to Vietnam to study preparations for the World Conference of Overseas Vietnamese, scheduled for December 2026./.
