Vietnam is set to award 1200 scholarships to Lao students in 2024, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced during the 6th session of the Laos-Vietnam Intergovernmental Committee.
During the meeting in Hanoi, co-chaired by the Lao and Vietnamese prime ministers, the discussion focused on improving the quality of education and human resource development. As part of the collaboration, Vietnamese teachers will also be dispatched to Laos to facilitate the teaching of the Vietnamese language.
Between 2011 and 2021, Vietnam welcomed close to 30,000 students from Laos. Over the period from 2011 to 2020, the country also provided training to 1,196 Lao officials and teachers through 44 courses held in Vietnam, ranging in duration from 2 to 9 months.
The recent meeting also evaluated the outcomes of the past year’s implementation, which included bilateral cooperation in the economy, trade, investment, energy, education, and health sectors. The session also observed the formulation of new tasks and directions for 2024.
As for this year’s plan, the prime ministers have mutually agreed to enhance bilateral trade with the aim of achieving a 10-15 percent growth rate. The focus will be reinforcing connections in transport infrastructure and fostering collaboration in agriculture and rural development.
The Vietnamese PM also affirmed the country’s commitment to assisting Laos in effectively carrying out its international responsibilities in 2024, particularly in the role of the ASEAN chairmanship.
Concerning future collaboration, both sides agreed to enhance high-level visits and contacts and strengthen the connectivity between the two economies.
Additionally, at the Laos-Vietnam Investment and Cooperation Conference, the two Prime Ministers observed the exchange of investment licenses and cooperation documents in sectors such as finance, agriculture, and mining.
Prime Minister Sonxay Siphandone’s visit to Vietnam came as a response to an invitation from his Vietnamese counterpart.
