VIENTIANE: Lao and Vietnamese government officials are holding talks in Vietnam from Feb 2-6 to discuss their experiences in urban management and town planning.
The Lao delegation is led by Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport, Detsongkham Thammavong, and includes officials from Khammuan and Bolikhamxay provinces, as well as representatives from the departments of finance, agriculture, and environment.
The group was welcomed by Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Construction, Nguyen Tuong Van, and his delegation. The discussions aim to promote a comprehensive approach to urban development and sustainable city growth.
This experience-sharing activity is part of the Urban Environment Improvement Project taking place in Thakhaek district, Khammuan province, and Pakxan district in Bolikhamxay province, which is funded by a grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Lao and Vietnamese officials will share lessons learnt in urban planning and management for application to development projects in the Fourth Greater Mekong Subregion, with an emphasis on improving the urban environment in the two Lao provinces.
The Lao delegation gained insights into Vietnam’s urban management system, including decentralisation mechanisms and coordination between the Ministry of Construction and other government bodies.
They also learned about urban planning strategies, effective use of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and loans for development projects, and ways to ensure project sustainability, while addressing social factors and strengthening technical capacity.
In addition, the Lao delegation is making site visits to observe and learn from ongoing construction and urban management projects in Vietnam. - Vientiane Times/ANN
