The conference, which wrapped up on 15 August, concluded that labour cooperation between Vietnam and Laos has actively contributed to the development of the two countries’ special friendship and promoted bilateral economic cooperation programs.

It found that accelerating development and raising the efficiency of labour ties play a significant role in meeting the human resource demands of investment cooperation projects.

The participants reached consensus on a number of measures to promote bilateral labour ties which mainly focus on building comprehensive bilateral cooperation and expanding and raising the effectiveness of related programs.

They also emphasized the necessity for the two countries’ relevant agencies to disseminate agreements reached between their governments and localities relating to labour management policies and regulations.

“Both sides need to discuss supplementing and amending a number of articles for submission to their governments to get them in line with their legal systems and the development of bilateral economic cooperation,” they said.

Currently, Vietnam and Laos are implementing many projects, which attract a huge number of labourers from both countries. According to MOLISA’s Overseas Labour Management, Vietnamese workers in Laos are mainly employed in investment cooperation projects and cooperation programs in bordering provinces, and those working under seasonal employment contracts. Around 15,000 Vietnamese workers and technicians are working in Laos in cooperative projects, in both the public and private sectors. So far, 150 Vietnamese businesses and economic organizations have invested in or have won bidding contracts in Laos. The Laos Government has licensed 174 Vietnam-invested projects totalling almost US$900mil. These projects focus on construction, transportation, forestry and hydroelectricity.

On behalf of Song Da Corporation, Deputy General Director Thai Son requested the two ministries to issue a specific mechanism towards Vietnamese labourers working in Laos in cooperative projects, including: social insurance, medical insurance, wage system, allowance, shift pay; detailed guidance on investigation work of industrial accident at work sites; costs of exit and entry, labour card, resident card; opening passenger car routes from project sites, where many Vietnamese workers working, to Vietnam; vocational guidance and training policies for Lao labourers for meeting market demand and economic development; etc.

Regarding foreign labour quota, Minister Onchan Thammavong requested Vietnamese businesses to close co-operate with local Departments of Labour and Social Welfare in supply and vocational guidance of Lao labourers; propagandize and disseminate laws of the two countries to labourers. The Minister affirmed to solve or report the petitions of the delegates to the Government at the soonest time.

Concluding the conference, Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan thanked the delegates for their contribution to the success of the conference and promised to promptly consider and report to the Governments to solve the recommendations. The two ministries would also submit to both Governments to establish a Sub-committee on Labour Cooperation under Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee and would meet more often to discuss and have timely solution to difficulties, entanglement with a view to promoting the bilateral economic cooperation ties