The signing ceremony of a memoranda of understanding (MoU) between Vietnam and Laos took place on November 7 as part of the 13th Vietnam-Laos Border Trade Development Cooperation Conference, jointly organized by the two countries’ Ministries of Industry and Trade.

The ceremony reaffirmed both sides’ determination to enhance economic cooperation and border trade, working toward sustainable development and mutual prosperity.

The signing of the MoU marks a strategic step forward in improving coordination mechanisms between the two sides in developing border trade, investment, and connectivity infrastructure. It also lays an important foundation for realizing the shared goal of building a peaceful, stable, and cooperative border region for mutual growth.

During the conference, delegates witnessed the signing of several key documents, including the minutes of the 13th Vietnam-Laos Border Trade Development Cooperation Conference between the Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and his Lao counterpart Malaythong Kommasith.

Other documents signed included the MoU on import-export development between the Department of Foreign Trade of Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Department of Import and Export of the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce; and the MoU on domestic market development between the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development of Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Department of Domestic Trade of the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

Also at the event, the Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade presented certificates of merit to Lao organizations and individuals for their significant contributions to border trade cooperation. In return, the Lao Minister of Industry and Commerce awarded certificates of merit to Vietnamese organizations and individuals in recognition of their active efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two ministries and the two nations.

The 13th Vietnam-Laos Border Trade Development Cooperation Conference serves as a concrete and practical step toward realizing the commitments made by the two countries’ high-level leaders to strengthen economic, trade, and investment linkages. The conference not only provides an opportunity to review and assess past cooperation results but also sets out strategic directions for the next phase, as both economies enter a period of robust development and deeper integration.