VAST president visits Lao People’s Democratic Republic
The visit was made with the consent of the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to assess past achievements and strengthen comprehensive cooperation on science and technology in the future between scientists from both countries.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of LPDR welcomed VAST president Chau Van Minh and VAST delegation at Cau Treo border gate
On May 21st, President Minh visited Lao’s Ministry of Science and Technology to assess results of science and technology cooperation activities between VAST and science agencies of LPDR. During the working session, Prof. Chau Van Minh and Prof. Boviengkham Vongdara, LPDR’s Minister of Science and Technology, discussed cooperation possibilities in fields such as promoting the study of science and technology, building a LPDR National Atlas set, building a master plan on socio-economic development in several provinces in LPDR as well as cooperation on studies to minimize and prevent damage caused by natural disasters, climate change, and the reasonable use of natural resources. The two sides also discussed biotechnology, information technology, environment technology, space technology and material erosion in tropical conditions. In the afternoon, the VAST delegation visited LPDR’s Ministry of Planning and Investment. During the discussion, the two sides exchanged and proposed projects to strengthen capacity, plans on the master plan of the development and application of information technology for Champasak province between 2012-2016 and orientations until 2020. The delegation also visited the governor of Vientiane, capital of LPDR, to talk about the cooperation possibilities in applying science and technology to the capital’s socio-economic development.
 |  |
Delegation of LPDR’s Ministry of Science and Technology and VAST delegation at the discussion
On May 22nd, at the LPDR’s Prime Minister Palace, Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, LPDR’s Politburo member, received Prof. Chau Van Minh and the VAST delegation. Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong appreciated the visit by the delegation and cooperation between VAST and science agencies as well as studies in central and southern Laos. He expressed his hopes that the two sides would strengthen cooperation and share experience, especially in practical science studies, contributing to promote science and technology for socio-economic development in the two countries.
The VAST delegation also visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos to report results of the working visit to agencies in LPDR. In the afternoon of May 22nd, VAST president and president of LPDR’s National Academy of Science signed a cooperation agreement on science, under the witness of Deputy Prime Minister of LPDR, vice presidents and managers of LPDR’s National Academy of Science as well as the VAST delegation. The agreement showed the unanimity of the two sides on implementing common research projects, exchange of experts, publications and scientific materials; co-organizing seminars, conferences, training courses on science and technology, especially strengthening capacity and infrastructure, technology transfer.
 |  |
| LPDR’s Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong received Prof. Chau Van Minh and VAST delegation at LPDR’s Prime Minister Palace | Cooperation agreement signing ceremony between VAST and LPDR National Academy of Science |
In the framework of the visit to LPDR from May 23rd to 25th 2012, VAST delegation worked with Savanakhet province, Savanakhet University, and Champasak province. The delegation had exchanges with representatives of the two provinces about the results of science cooperation of VAST at the two provinces and orientations for cooperation on study and technology transfer in the future in the agriculture field, and a survey on natural resources and information technology.
