Hue: The Border Guard Commands of Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Ngai province recently convened their 19th annual meeting with the Military Command of Laos' Sekong province to discuss and review the ongoing cooperation in managing and securing the Vietnam-Laos border.According to Lao News Agency, the collaborative efforts between the two sides over the past year have been notably effective. The cooperation has not only ensured the protection of the Vietnam-Laos borderline and the maintenance of border markers but has also contributed significantly to the security and social order along the shared border. This collaboration plays a crucial role in fostering a stable environment conducive to socio-economic development and in enhancing the traditional friendship and special solidarity between the armed forces and people of both countries.Both parties emphasized the importance of strictly adhering to agreements and legal documents related to the regulations governing the Vietnam-Laos border zone. The border guard f orces from the three Vietnamese localities and Sekong province have maintained a regular exchange of information and have jointly conducted numerous patrols, including one at the provincial level and 49 at the border post-company level, involving thousands of officers and soldiers.The twinning model, which pairs Vietnamese border guard posts with Lao border companies and villages on both sides of the border, has been effective in promoting exchanges, strengthening community ties, and supporting local livelihoods. Vietnamese Border Guard units have also provided material assistance worth nearly 3 billion VND (approximately 113,760 USD) to the authorities and people of Sekong province. Additionally, they continue to support the education of 15 Lao students.Both sides have agreed to uphold current agreements and legal frameworks on Vietnam-Laos border management, and to enhance information sharing, joint patrols, and coordinated crime prevention efforts. Communication campaigns will be intensified to raise p ublic awareness of border regulations, thus facilitating legal cross-border trade and people-to-people exchanges.The meeting concluded with both parties committing to regular or ad-hoc meetings as necessary, improving the effectiveness of paired-border-post and paired-village mechanisms, and collaboratively resolving emerging issues to ensure stability and security in the border area. Representatives from the two sides signed the minutes of the meeting, marking their continued commitment to these initiatives.