Prime Minister of Vietnam, Mr Nguyen Xuan Phuc, accompanied by his delegation of senior officials, made his first ever official visit to Laos in response to his host counterpart on Wednesday, Mr Thongloun Sisoulith.

The visit, scheduled for Apr 26-27, also aimed to celebrate 2017 as the Year of Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship.

The visiting Prime Minister was given a warm welcome with a ceremony in his honour by his Lao counterpart at the Prime Minister’s Office in Vientiane before they, along with their respective delegations, went on to a bilateral meeting also held in Vientiane.

Both Prime Ministers frankly shared their points of view to evaluate the implementation of joint statements and agreements reached by high ranking officials of the two countries, including the results of the 39th Meeting of the Laos-Vietnam Intergovernmental Committee, and expressed their commitment to strengthen cooperation between the two governments.

They also exchanged points of view on regional and international issues of common interest and expressed their pledge to enhance cooperation in regional and international arenas, especially through the UN, ASEAN and other regional cooperation mechanisms.

The two Prime Ministers also signed and witnessed the signing of several cooperation agreements on a joint venture project to develop Vung Ang Port as a Lao-Vietnamese port; the building of a railway stretching from Vientiane through Thakhek, Mayu, and Ton Ob to Vung Ang; the construction of Phouthid Pheung Road between Luang Prabang and Naxone, which borders Dien Bien; feasibility studies on upgrading roads, including Road No 18 B in Attapeu, a road stretching between Poungtha, Thama and Phialy in Xaysomboun, a road stretching between Xaysomboun, Tebele, Phoukongkhao and Samhopadong in Xaysomboun; a sub-agreement on amending agreement on Laos-Vietnam border trade; a sub-agreement on education cooperation; an MoU on the constructing of a bonded oil warehouse in Hon La and oil pipeline between Hon La and Khammouane; and an MoU on the purchase of electricity generated by a thermal power plant in Xekong between the Electricity of Vietnam Group and Phonesack Group.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister and Minister of Education also presented copies of a Vietnamese-Lao dictionary to the Lao side. The dictionary was published by a joint effort between the Ministry of Education of Laos and Vietnam.

On this occasion, the Lao and Vietnamese Prime Ministers, representing the leaders of the two countries, announced the opening of the Year of Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship in celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation between Laos and Vietnam and the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two neighbours.

On the same day, the Vietnamese Prime Minister paid a courtesy call to President Bounnhang Vorachit at his palace, met the President of the National Assembly, Ms Pany Yathortou, and held a bilateral talk with the Vice President, Mr Phankham Viphavanh.