Savannakhet:Vietnam and Laos have successfully conducted their second conference focused on educating village leaders about policies and laws pertinent to the border areas shared by both nations. Held on October 8 in Savannakhet province, Laos, the event aimed to bolster border management, ensure security, and facilitate local development.
According to Lao News Agency, the conference was a collaborative effort by the foreign ministries of Vietnam and Laos and drew nearly 300 participants, including representatives from central agencies, relevant sectors, and localities alongside village heads from both sides of the border. The conference coincided with significant anniversaries in Vietnam-Laos relations, including the 64th year of diplomatic ties and the 49th anniversaries of both the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and the Vietnam-Laos National Border Delimitation Treaty.
The initiative was designed to equip officials, specialized forces, and village leaders with a deeper understanding of border-related policies and laws. This knowledge aims to enhance their responsibility for managing and protecting the border line and markers, maintaining public order, and fostering economic development in border areas.
The conference featured discussions on five central topics, including security and social order, the role of communications and the influence of village elders in law dissemination, citizenship and household registration, border affairs and bilateral cooperation, and regulations on immigration and cross-border trade. Village representatives shared their experiences to improve border management, contributing to a peaceful and stable Vietnam-Laos border.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van and Lao Deputy Minister Anouparb Vongnorke co-chaired the conference. They emphasized the critical role of village elders and leaders in spreading awareness of border laws and regulations within local communities. The ministers urged greater community involvement in preventing legal violations and encouraged cultural exchanges and socio-economic initiatives to enhance living standards in border communities.
In addition to attending the conference, the Vietnamese delegation visited several notable sites in Savannakhet province, including the monument to President Kaysone Phomvihane, the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Site, the Savannakhet Special Economic Zone, and the Inhang Stupa.
