Vice Chairman of the Attapeu Provincial Administration Committee, Mr Silay Sisavengsouk, and Vice Chairwoman of the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee, Ms Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich, display the signed agreement in Gia Lai province, Vietnam, on Sunday.

Laos, Vietnam deepen inter-provincial ties

Laos and Vietnam have taken a further step in deepening their strategic partnership, with a new agreement set to expand collaboration in education, healthcare, trade, and investment between four southern Lao provinces and Vietnam’s Gia Lai province.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in Gia Lai province on March 29, strengthens the links between the Lao provinces of Champasak, Salavan, Xekong and Attapeu and Gia Lai province in the south of Vietnam, aiming to strengthen sub-national cooperation and unlock shared development potential.
The agreement was signed by the Vice Chairman of the Attapeu Provincial Administration Committee, Mr Silay Sisavengsouk, and Vice Chairwoman of the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee, Ms Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich.
Officials described the MoU as another step in strengthening the long-standing traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam.
It is expected to especially strengthen ties between Attapeu and Gia Lai provinces.
Under the agreement, the two sides pledge to broaden cooperation across multiple sectors.
In education, Gia Lai province will provide full scholarships for Lao citizens in Attapeu, offering 20 placements annually from the 2026-2027 academic year through to 2030-2031, totalling 100 scholarships for study in master’s, bachelor, and higher diploma programmes.
In public health, Gia Lai will send medical specialists to Attapeu each year to provide technical support, while also training three medical personnel from Attapeu Provincial Hospital annually.
Cooperation in investment will centre on encouraging businesses in the five provinces to explore opportunities aligned with their respective strengths.
In the area of industry and trade, Gia Lai authorities will facilitate the transport of goods produced by businesses in Attapeu — and Laos more broadly — to ports and airports within the province, improving access to wider markets.
The two sides will also collaborate in agriculture, with Gia Lai offering opportunities for Lao agriculture officials to build their technical capacity.
In culture, sports and tourism, the provinces will jointly organise shared cultural activities, develop new tourism products, and promote their cultural identities to a wider audience.
Enhanced cooperation in foreign affairs will include reciprocal visits by Lao and Vietnamese delegations to strengthen mutual understanding, while collaboration in security will focus on maintaining social order and a peaceful environment conducive to development.
The agreement reflects the continued commitment of Laos and Vietnam to deepen their strategic partnership at both the national and local levels, with the aim of delivering tangible benefits to their citizens.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest UpdateApril 1, 2026)