Signing MoUs for cooperation between Quang Tri and Sekong provinces

On January 30, a conference was held at the headquarters of the Sekong provincial government in Laos, where Quang Tri and Sekong provinces signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation.

An overview of the signing ceremony. Photo: Le Truong

In his welcoming speech, the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Sekong Province, Leklay Sivilay, highly appreciated the visit and work of the high-level delegation from Quang Tri Province, aiming to strengthen the friendly and special cooperation between the two sides.

The Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Sekong Province, Leklay Sivilay speaks at the event.

He said, this is an opportunity for the two provinces to exchange and agree on specific cooperation, facilitating businesses in exploiting, transporting, and exporting coal from Sekong through Salavan and Savannakhet provinces to Vietnam via the La Lay - La Lay and Densavanh - Lao Bao international border gates.

The Party Committee and the Sekong provincial government are ready to welcome and provide the most favorable conditions for businesses in Vietnam and Quang Tri to invest in the locality, he underlined.

Chairman of the Quang Tri Provincial People’s Committee, Vo Van Hung, requested the two sides to enhance cooperation in all aspects.

During the conference, Chairman of the Quang Tri Provincial People’s Committee, Vo Van Hung, appreciated the cooperation between Sekong and Quang Tri provinces in the past, despite not sharing a common border.

The authorities of both provinces need to enhance cooperation in economic development, with a focus on supporting and facilitating businesses in the exploitation and export of coal through the La Lay - La Lay international border gate, he added.

Both sides will study cooperation in trade, investment, logistics services, and tourism to effectively exploit the advantages of their location on the East-West Economic Corridor (Para EWEC) and further strengthen connectivity between Sekong, Champasak, Salavan, Quang Tri, and the key economic region of Central Vietnam through the La Lay international border gate.

Based on the results of the discussions, both sides agreed to sign five contents in the memorandum of understanding. Among them, Quang Tri proposed that Sekong coordinate with Salavan Province to request the competent authorities of Laos to promptly issue a document to agree on the basis for implementing the next procedures of the cross-border coal conveyor project to bring coal from Laos to Vietnam.

They requested extended working hours at the La Lay - La Lay international border gate to accommodate customs clearance for businesses with high-volume goods.

The relevant agencies of both provinces need to actively promote the implementation of the contents of the memorandum of understanding at the high-level dialogue between the two provinces signed on August 30, 2023.

The Quang Tri Province’s authority presents VND200 million (US$8,181) to the Sekong provincial government and people.

The provincial Business Association’s representative presents gifts to Sekong Province.

On this occasion, Chairman of the Quang Tri Provincial People’s Committee, Vo Van Hung, presented VND200 million(US$8,181) to the Sekong provincial government and people. The provincial Business Association also provided 11 gifts, each worth VND1 million (US$40.9), to Sekong Province.

Le Truong - Khanh Khanh