(VEN) - A Lao delegation led by the Minister of Energy and Mining, Xulivong Dalavong, visited Vietnam from February 23-25, 2010. On the afternoon of February 24, 2010, the delegation had a meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang at the headquarters of this ministry.
At the meeting, the two sides focused on discussing matters related to Vietnam-Laos cooperation in the fields such as energy, electricity, mining, oil and gas, and human resource training. The two sides also exchanged management experience and proposed ways to boost bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy and mining according to the spirit of the agreement that was signed between the Vietnamese and Lao governments in 2006. Minister Xulivong Dalavong said, "In 2009, despite numerous difficulties due to the global economic crisis, Vietnamese companies carried out many investment cooperation projects in Laos in the field of energy, electricity, minerals and oil and gas as committed. We highly appreciate their efforts."
In the field of mineral exploration and extraction, the Lao Government has created favorable conditions for Vietnamese companies to carry out investment projects in Laos.
In the field of oil and gas, Minister Xulivong Dalavong said, "The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group has cooperated with foreign partners, including Lao companies, to explore some oil and gas deposits in Laos. The results of cooperation help Laos develop the oil and gas sector in particular and the energy industry in general.
Notably, the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) Group and the Vietnam Coal and the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group have actively helped the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mining in human resource training activities. The two governments highly appreciate the results of bilateral cooperation in this field.
In the field of electricity, the Sekaman 1 hydropower plant is being built in Laos to sell electricity to Vietnam. Minister Xulivong Dalavong and Minister Vu Huy Hoang pledged to maintain close coordination to facilitate the implementation of other hydropower projects in the future. Officials of the two ministries will meet more often to exchange management experience.
In the time to come, to build high-tension power transmission lines between Vietnam and Laos, the two sides are tightening cooperation to ensure the feasibility of power production projects that will be carried out in Laos to sell electricity to Vietnam. A 500kV power transmission system between the two countries will be built in the near future. Vietnam and Laos will seek assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for cooperation projects between the two countries in the field of electricity.
Minister Xulivong Dalavong and Minister Vu Huy Hoang reasserted the support of the two governments and encouraged companies of the two countries to increase cooperation for mutual interests and bring into play the advantages of each other. The two ministers said that they will continue to maintain close coordination to deal on a timely basis with any problem that companies encounter during the time they implement their projects. This is to ensure that all cooperation projects between Vietnamese and Lao companies will be carried out on schedule with the best results.
By Phuong Lan
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