An important visit to Khammouane, Laos, by a Vietnamese delegation from Ha Tinh province began on the morning of March 28, 2023, establishing a new high point in the bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The Provincial Party Secretary, Mr. Hoang Trung Dung, and his delegation began their visit with a solemn ceremony at the Ho Chi Minh Memorial House, which honors the revolutionary ideals held by the great Vietnamese leader while he was a prisoner in Laos.

By paying their respects at the memorial, the delegation conveyed their deepest gratitude and reverence for President Ho Chi Minh's immense legacy. The unwavering unity and unique connection between Vietnam and Laos can be traced back to his groundbreaking work.

A major Vietnamese investment in Laos, the "Nong Bok District Irrigation System Construction" project was the site of the delegation's inspection after the ceremony. An approved budget of nearly 300 billion VND (about 13 million USD) has been set aside for the project, with 260 billion VND designated as non-refundable financing from the Vietnamese government.

The Nong Bok - Ha Tinh Project Management Board was established through close collaboration between the Ha Tinh Provincial People's Committee, the Lao project steering committee, and the Irrigation Department of the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Vietnamese side has been entrusted with the responsibility of leading the project. This collaborative endeavor is designed to guarantee close cooperation all the way through the project's implementation.

The irrigation system project, which began in April 2022, has come a long way since then. By the end of 2023, it is expected to have finished 70% of the work. Upon completion, the project will guarantee irrigation for agricultural lands, stabilize production, and increase crop yields, all of which are expected to have a profound impact on local agriculture in four clusters of the Song Muong area. It will also help with erosion control along the Mekong River's sensitive banks.

Party Secretary Hoang Trung Dung praised the effective and close cooperation between the project management teams for Khammouane and Ha Tinh. He was also appreciative of the contractors' enthusiasm and hard work, which allowed them to finish the project ahead of schedule without sacrificing quality.

He reiterated his wish for the project teams to keep closely monitoring each other and concentrating on finishing the remaining tasks to guarantee the project's quality and timeliness. He is counting on the continuous backing of Khammouane province to help get the project done on schedule, which will have a major impact on the economic and social development of the area.

Visits to Viet-Lao Limited Liability Company (VILACO) were part of the Ha Tinh delegation's ongoing work schedule. Since VILACO's project in the gypsum mining and processing industry began, 130 jobs have been created for local residents. The average monthly salary for these workers is 5 million kip, or about 7.5 million VND. The Lao government received 23 billion VND in taxes from VILACO in 2022, and the company donated 1 billion VND to welfare projects in Khammouane province. VILACO made 400 billion VND in revenue and 13 billion VND after taxes.

Secretary Dung offered his congratulations to VILACO during the meeting for its commercial and production successes as well as its significant social contributions to Laos and the local community. He spoke highly of the company's potential for strong growth and expansion, spending money on state-of-the-art machinery, adding local employment opportunities, improving exports, protecting the environment, and using sustainable mining practices.

In addition, the Ha Tinh Minerals and Trading Corporation and VILACO are essential to the success of the 2023 cooperation agreement that the provinces of Ha Tinh and Khammouane inked. The people of both nations and the two provinces will become even closer through this partnership, which will also improve comprehensive cooperation.