Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) March 12 – The cross-border highway connecting the center of Saychanphong District, Borykhamxay Province, Laos, with the Nam An border crossing between Laos and Vietnam officially opened to traffic. Lao Prime Minister Somsay Siphandone led a Lao government delegation to attend the opening ceremony in Saychanphong District, witnessing the completion and commissioning of this important 35-kilometer-long transportation project with a double-layer asphalt concrete pavement.
The opening ceremony was highly valued by both Laos and Vietnam. The Lao delegation included Dr. Bouakorn Nammavong, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister's Office, and Dr. Sonethanu Thammavong, Secretary of the Borykhamxay Provincial Party Committee; the Vietnamese delegation was led by Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam, with senior officials from Nghe An Province also participating, demonstrating the shared interest of both countries in cross-border cooperation projects.
It is understood that the Saychanphong-Nam An border highway project has a total investment of 260 billion Lao Kip, fully funded by the Vietnam-Laos Electricity Investment and Development Joint Stock Company, which is also the investor in the Truong Son wind power project cluster in Saychanphong District. The highway, including two bridges, will significantly improve cross-border transportation between Laos and Vietnam, providing an efficient and convenient passage for people and goods movement in the border region and strongly promoting the coordinated development of trade and tourism between the two countries.
Officials stated that the opening of this new highway is not only a successful example of Lao-Vietnamese bilateral cooperation but also an organic combination of infrastructure construction and energy investment. Its core value lies in three aspects: first, accelerating the flow of people and goods, reducing cross-border transportation costs, and directly empowering the socio-economic development of border areas; second, contributing to regional integration, deepening the level of Lao-Vietnamese cross-border cooperation, and injecting new impetus into the coordinated development of the Southeast Asian sub-region; and third, consolidating the traditional friendship between Laos and Vietnam, becoming an important link supporting the national development of both countries and the prosperity of local communities.
Laos Prime Minister Somsay Siphandone emphasized at the opening ceremony that the governments and people of Laos and Vietnam have a long-standing friendship and partnership. Continuing to deepen cooperation in areas of common interest, such as infrastructure, will further solidify the foundation of bilateral friendship and push the partnership to a higher level. This new passage to the Vietnamese border is also seen as a key step for Laos in improving its cross-border transportation network and integrating into the overall regional development strategy. (over)
