Vietnam and Laos Enhance Technical Exchange on Labor Management and Safety

Vietnam and Laos held a technical exchange conference in Hanoi on September 23 concerning labor management both domestically and abroad, occupational safety and health, and international conventions. The event, hosted by Vietnam's Ministry of Home Affairs, was attended by a delegation from Laos' Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. This meeting marks a new step in concretizing the commitments for extensive cooperation between the two Ministries in the fields of labor and employment. Vietnamese Vice Minister of Home Affairs Cao Huy attended and delivered the opening speech. In his opening remarks, Vice Minister Cao Huy warmly welcomed the delegation from the Lao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, led by Mr. Phonsavanh Saycosie, Director General of the Department of Labour Management, on their visit and working trip to Vietnam. He highlighted the practical significance of this conference in implementing the contents agreed upon at the 9th Vietnam-Laos Labour Ministers' Meeting in November 2025 in Ninh Binh province, particularly the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation in labor, employment, and social welfare between the two ministries, within the context of the elevated bilateral relationship to "Great Friendship, Special Solidarity, Comprehensive Cooperation, and Strategic Partnership." Vice Minister Cao Huy affirmed that the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs is always ready to share its experiences in institutional and policy work with Laos, based on the "Great Friendship, Special Solidarity, Comprehensive Cooperation, and Strategic Partnership" between Vietnam and Laos, and the strong relationship between the two ministries that has been built and consolidated over many years. He expressed confidence that through this conference, officials from both sides will gain a clearer understanding of programs and policies on overseas labor management, labor market development, and occupational safety and health. They will also learn about experiences in administrative reform for labor licensing, foreign labor management, labor digitalization, and rehabilitation and health recovery for revolutionary contributors. Furthermore, the meeting aims to more specifically identify key activities to prioritize and promote in the coming period, ensuring they become increasingly deep and substantive, serving the socio-economic development needs of both countries and commensurate with the long-standing relationship between the two nations. Following the opening session, representatives from specialized departments of both ministries engaged in focused, candid, and vibrant thematic discussions on key contents. These included: evaluating programs and policies on overseas labor management and the implementation of related international conventions by Vietnam and Laos; information and special mechanisms for key projects in Laos employing Vietnamese labor; sharing experiences in administrative reform for labor licensing and foreign labor management, as well as policies for labor market development and occupational safety and health; and exchanging views on labor digitalization and data integration for the development of modern labor market information systems. This technical conference is expected not only to enhance the professional capacity of officials from both countries but also to further deepen the traditional and close relationship between Vietnam and Laos. According to the working program, on September 24, the Lao delegation will visit and conduct a field survey at the Hanoi Center for Employment Services to learn about its operational model, counseling, job placement services, and particularly its experience in promoting the application of information technology in employment service activities.