Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Social Security (VSS) and the Lao National Social Security Fund (NSSF) have signed a cooperation agreement for 2026-2028, marking a new phase in their strategic partnership to strengthen policy implementation, accelerate digital transformation, and modernise social security governance in both countries.
The new agreement is expected to deepen cooperation between the two agencies and deliver outcomes as digital transformation reshapes public administration and social security systems worldwide.
Speaking at the signing ceremony on May 27, VSS Director General Le Hung Son said cooperation under the previous memoranda of understanding for 2016-2020 and 2022-2025 had produced tangible results.
Regular exchanges of professional expertise, technical assistance, management experience and high-level delegations have become annual activities, enabling officials from both sides to enhance their knowledge and strengthen institutional capacity, he noted.
Son also highlighted Vietnam's recent governance reforms, describing them as an example of how institutional restructuring can improve the effectiveness of social security administration.
Since March 2025, VSS has operated under the Ministry of Finance, a major organisational reform that has injected new momentum into the system. By the end of May 2026, Vietnam had recorded significant progress across key social security indicators.
The number of social insurance participants reached 21.91 million, up 12% year-on-year. Unemployment insurance coverage expanded to 17.35 million people, while health insurance enrolment climbed to 98.56 million, bringing the country close to achieving universal health coverage.
Beyond expanding coverage, the figures also reflect the system's operational capacity in delivering benefits efficiently. In just a few months of 2026, VSS processed sickness and maternity benefits for more than 3.6 million beneficiaries, provided unemployment benefits to over 239,000 workers, and ensured health insurance coverage for more than 77 million medical visits.
Given the scale and complexity of these operations, Son said Vietnam's experience in institutional organisation, fund management, administrative reform, health insurance management and digital transformation could provide valuable references for Laos as it continues to modernise its own social security system.
For the 2026-2028 period, cooperation between the two agencies will move beyond delegation exchanges to focus on core aspects of modern public governance.
Lao National Social Security Fund Director General Chomyeang Phengthongsawath described Vietnam's experience in digital transformation and service quality improvement as highly valuable as Laos works to strengthen its institutional framework and reform its social security system.
He noted that Laos is prioritising the application of information technology to improve transparency, streamline administrative procedures and shorten benefit processing times, with Vietnam serving as a successful model for reference.
Under the new memorandum, the two sides will prioritise cooperation in policy development, workforce capacity building and the sharing of experience in specialised inspection and supervision to prevent abuse of social security funds.
One notable addition to the new cooperation framework is collaboration on cashless payment systems for social security benefits. The move is expected to improve convenience and security for beneficiaries while reducing administrative costs and increasing operational efficiency.
The two agencies have also outlined a detailed action plan for the next three years, focusing on expanding voluntary social insurance and household health insurance coverage. It also includes accelerating digitalisation in benefit payments, strengthening electronic health insurance assessment and reimbursement, and enhancing social insurance fund investment management to ensure long-term sustainability.
(Photo: VietnamPlus)
Public communication will also be strengthened to raise awareness of citizens' rights and responsibilities within the social security system, encouraging broader participation and reinforcing the sustainability of social protection programmes.
The 2026-2028 cooperation agreement is expected to open a new chapter in relations between the two agencies, reinforcing their long-standing partnership while supporting more modern, efficient and digitally enabled social security governance for sustainable social welfare in both Vietnam and Laos./.
