Minister of Trade and Industry Nguyen Hong Dien (left) and Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Phosay Sayasone at the talks. (Photo: ven.congthuong.vn)
Vietnam will issue a price framework to purchase electricity from Laos for the period after 2025 in the second quarter of this year, said Minister of Trade and Industry Nguyen Hong Dien.
At talks with Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Phosay Sayasone on April 6 as part of his visit to Laos, Dien said that at the request of the Lao side and based on the 2024 cooperation agreement between the two Governments, the MoIT had directed Vietnam Electricity (EVN) to study and propose an electricity purchase price framework after 2025. Once the draft is completed, the ministry will make evaluation before submitting to the Vietnamese Prime Minister for approval.
The Lao minister proposed the two sides work together to design more specific cooperation plans and programmes, and highlighted issues that need immediate actions to resolve.
He asked Vietnam to support and exchange experiences with Laos on establishing electricity regulatory agencies; facilitate the transport of goods from Laos to border gates/ports in the Vietnamese central province of Quang Tri and Hue city; cooperate in inspection work and in developing mineral planning and mineral maps.
Minister Dien agreed with the Lao minister's suggestions, including the establishment of the two ministries' working group to address obstacles in bilateral cooperation in energy and minerals.
He affirmed that Vietnam always offers favourable conditions for the transport of Lao goods through borders to ports in Vietnam, noting that the two governments pay great attention to coal trading. He said Vietnam has high demand for coal while Laos wants to increase the export of coal, but the question is how to reach agreement on reasonable prices.
The Vietnamese minister also asked the Lao side to upgrade existing roads from Kaleum to Vietnam's La Lay and Lao Bao international border gates to improve transport capacity. /.