Hanoi: The mid-year meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Committee on the implementation of the 2026 cooperation plan was held in Da Nang city on August 27. Vietnamese Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Committee Ngo Van Tuan and Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Santiphab Phomvihane, who is also Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee, co-chaired the event.
According to Lao News Agency, the meeting focused on reviewing the progress of the 2026 cooperation plan over the past eight months, assessing achievements and challenges, and agreeing on key priorities for the remainder of the year. The implementation has largely achieved its goals, supporting political stability, socio-economic development, national defence and security, and strengthening the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.
The countries have maintained regular exchanges, consultations, and close coordination at regional and international forums. Defence and security cooperation has been strengthened, with both sides working to implement signed agreements, contributing to peace and stability along the Vietnam-Laos border.
Economic and investment cooperation has seen significant progress. In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnamese businesses registered 20 investment projects in Laos with a total capital of 638.3 million USD, a 4.2-fold increase year-on-year. Laos remains Vietnam's largest overseas investment destination, with 300 projects worth 7.04 billion USD. Bilateral trade reached 1.3 billion USD in the first half of the year.
The collaboration in energy, transport, construction, and infrastructure connectivity continues to advance, including major projects and strategic links between the two countries. Education, training, and human resources development remain prominent in bilateral cooperation, with the Vietnamese Government offering 1,300 scholarships for Lao students in 2026.
Vietnam has allocated 1.12 trillion VND (43 million USD) in aid to Laos for 2026 as part of a 10 trillion VND aid package for 2026-2030 to support programmes and the training of Lao officials and students. Seven projects are currently underway and are mostly on schedule.
For the rest of 2026, both sides agreed to maintain strong political and diplomatic coordination and effectively implement high-level agreements and the bilateral 2026 cooperation plan. They aim to boost economic connectivity, enhance complementarity between the Vietnamese and Lao economies, and strengthen links with Cambodia.
The countries will encourage more Vietnamese investment in sectors where Laos has strong potential, increase dialogue to address business challenges, and promote trade and energy cooperation. Education, training, and human resources development will remain a priority, focusing on training strategic and promising young officials.
Vietnam and Laos also agreed to improve the effectiveness of Vietnamese aid by strengthening project inspection and monitoring, ensuring progress and quality, and exploring ways to combine aid with other funding sources for impactful projects supporting Laos' socio-economic development.
The committee chairmen agreed to direct relevant agencies to maintain close coordination, accelerate task performance, and resolve bottlenecks affecting key projects that are behind schedule. The countries are also preparing for major milestones in 2027, marking the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.