Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Phosay Sayasone (left), and Vietnam’s Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Do Thanh Binh, display signed cooperation agreements.

Laos, Vietnam vow to strengthen ties in labour management

The governments of Laos and Vietnam have pledged to advance labour cooperation, including developing legal frameworks, skills training to match the needs of the job market, digital transformation, and ensuring the protection of workers’ rights.
Both sides signed new agreements and set priorities for collaboration through to 2030 during a ministerial meeting held in Ninh Bình province, Vietnam.
Under the agreements, the governments will also share more information concerning the management of Vietnamese and Lao nationals working under labour supply contracts, investment projects, and aid programmes in the two countries.
Additionally, they agreed to continue working with their ministries of defence and other relevant entities to locate and repatriate the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and advisors who fell in Laos during the Indochina War.
The meeting was co-chaired by Vietnam’s Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Do Thanh Binh, and Laos’ Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Phosay Sayasone.
The Vietnam-Laos Ministerial Conference on Labour took place on November 12, reaffirming the strong ties and longstanding friendship between the two neighbouring countries.
Their partnership embodies the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the Lao and Vietnamese parties, states, and peoples, the Lao minister added.
Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in labour management, employment, social welfare, and support for people with meritorious service, as well as shaping the ministries’ 2026-2030 cooperation framework.
Mr Binh referenced the six-decade-long partnership between Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs (formerly the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs) and Laos’ Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.
The two ministers discussed priority areas of cooperation for 2026-2027, including public administration, technology application, and governance reforms.
Mr Binh noted that Vietnam has hosted hundreds of Lao officials under training and research programmes and funded the construction of a rehabilitation centre for wounded soldiers and persons with disabilities in Vientiane.
Laos, in turn, has assisted Vietnam in the search for and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who lost their lives during wartime action in Laos.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update November 17, 2025)