In her welcoming remarks, Ha Nam Province Deputy Secretary Dinh Thi Lua emphasized that throughout the long history of the two nations' formation and defense, the people of Vietnam and Laos have together forged a unique friendship that is "more enduring than mountains and rivers." From the foundation of the solidarity and friendship between the two countries, the former Ha Nam Ninh Province (now Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, and Ha Nam provinces) and Oudomxay Province established a sisterhood and cooperation to assist each other's development in 1979.

Continuing this fine tradition, Ha Nam and Oudomxay provinces have organized numerous cooperative activities, exchanging experiences in leadership, directing and organizing the implementation of political and socio-economic development tasks, and sharing information about the investment environment and the strengths and potentials of both provinces.

This visit and working session of the high-level delegation from Oudomxay Province holds special significance as it continues to promote the cooperative and friendly relations between Ha Nam Province and Oudomxay Province in particular, and between Vietnam and Laos in general, to become even closer and more sustainable. Ha Nam and Oudomxay provinces will strengthen cultural exchanges, expand cooperation in several fields, and implement more meaningful and practical cooperative activities to tighten the comprehensive, enduring friendship between the two localities.

The Deputy Secretary of the Ha Nam Provincial Party Committee, Dinh Thi Lua, briefed the delegation on the province's socio-economic development. The Party Committee, government, and people of Ha Nam are united and determined to promote socio-economic development, focusing on industrial development with an average growth rate of over 10% per year. The province is investing in the construction of 12 industrial parks covering more than 3,470 hectares (of which eight are already operational) and 14 industrial clusters spanning nearly 400 hectares, equipped with modern and synchronized infrastructure.

In 2023, despite the complex and unpredictable global and regional situations and the challenges of post-pandemic economic recovery, the Party Committee and the people of Ha Nam have gradually overcome difficulties, continuing to achieve significant and comprehensive results across various fields. The province's socio-economic stability and development have been maintained, with a growth rate of 9.41% (ranking fifth in the Red River Delta region and eighth nationwide). The state budget revenue reached over 14,600 billion VND, making Ha Nam one of the 17 provinces with a self-balanced budget in 2023.

Expressing gratitude for the warm and hospitable reception by Ha Nam, Oudomxay Province's Secretary and Governor congratulated Vietnam in general, and Ha Nam in particular, on their achievements. The Secretary and Governor provided insights into the socio-economic development of Oudomxay Province and committed to effectively implementing the signed agreements and maintaining the excellent relationship between the two localities. Oudomxay Province hopes Ha Nam will offer support in human resource training and share experiences in building a provincial public administration center and developing new rural areas.