Vietnam, as a transit developing country, has carried out numerous activities in regional, sub-regional and bilateral frameworks to support landlocked countries as well as Laos in particular, said Head of the Vietnamese delegation attending the Asia-Europe meeting of landlocked countries in Vientiane on March 5.

Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc told delegates at the meeting that Vietnam and Laos are implementing a pilot programme known as “One door - One stop” in the Lao Bao-Densavan border gate to simplify customs procedures and facilitate transport not only between the two countries but also in the East-West corridor linking Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.

Ngoc affirmed that as a major transit country for Laos, Vietnam has exerted every effort to strengthen cooperation with the country to boost two-way trade with a target of 2 billion USD in 2015.

Besides, Vietnam is also one of the top foreign investors in Laos with numerous cooperation projects, especially in road connection, while creating favourable conditions for Laos to use its seaports in export and import activities, added Ngoc.

The Vientiane Asia-Europe meeting of landlocked countries opened on March 5 with the aim of reviewing the implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action (APA) for landlocked developing countries (LLDCs).

Addressing the event, Lao Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith applauded the progresses achieved during a decade of APA implementation. He expressed his belief that the conference will make good preparations for following action plans.

Participants at the meeting agreed that over the past years, transit countries in Asia and Europe have exerted great efforts to implement the APA. Many priorities of the programme have been successfully carried out, they added.

Adopted in 2003 by the United Nations, the APA aims to address special needs of LLDCs in a new global framework of transit transport cooperation for landlocked and transit developing countries.-VNA