On February 3rd, 2026, in Hanoi, Mr. Nguyen Tuong Van, Deputy Minister of Construction of Viet Nam, held a meeting and working session with Mr. Detsongkham Thammavong, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, to exchange experiences and strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of urban management, planning, and infrastructure development.
At the meeting, Deputy Minister Detsongkham Thammavong expressed his pleasure at visiting and working with the Ministry of Construction, especially during the time when Viet Nam had just successfully organized the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party.
Deputy Minister Detsongkham Thammavong highly appreciated Viet Nam’s remarkable achievements in urban development and infrastructure, particularly in in improving the institutional framework and enhancing the effectiveness of planning and urban management comprehensively and sustainably, and adapting to climate change. He also noted that Viet Nam’s practical experience is of great reference value for the Lao PDR. This is especially relevant as Laos is accelerating its urbanization process, mobilizing investment resources, and implementing urban development programs and projects funded by loans and official development assistance (ODA).
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Overview of working session.
Deputy Minister Detsongkham Thammavong expressed his desire for Viet Nam to share its experience in developing urban management institutions at both national and local levels; mechanisms for assignment of responsibilities and coordination among central ministries, sectors, and local authorities; effective integration of loan capital and official development assistance (ODA) into urban development programs and projects; as well as solutions to ensure financial sustainability, operation, and management after project completion.
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van stated that in recent years Viet Nam has stepped up efforts to restructure and streamline the organizational of ministries and sectors toward a “lean, streamlined, strong, efficient, effective, and impactful” approach. Accordingly, the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Transport were merged into the current (new) Ministry of Construction, which performs state management functions across a wide range of key fields. These include construction planning and architecture; construction investment activities; urban development; technical infrastructure; housing; the real estate market; construction materials; and transport sectors covering road, railway, inland waterway, maritime, and civil aviation nationwide, in accordance with the law.
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Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van presented Deputy Minister Detsongkham Thammavong with an embroidered painting of Vietnam's national flower.
Vietnam is also accelerating the improvement of organizational structure and streamlining of the two-tiered local government apparatus, towards greater decentralization and delegation to local authorities.
Specifically in the field of urban development, the Ministry of Construction is responsible for formulating strategies, programs, plans, and nationally important projects; proposing urban development indicators within the country’s socio-economic development tasks for each period; managing and investing in the development of urban spaces, including both above-ground and underground spaces; developing new urban models; and managing and organizing the implementation of urban upgrading, renovation, and redevelopment programs, thereby gradually enhancing the resilience and climate change adaptation capacity of the urban system.
According to Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van, Viet Nam’s urban system is currently entering a phase of strong transformation toward sustainability, smart development, and climate change adaptation. Urban areas are increasingly affirming their role as key drivers of economic development, making significant contributions to GDP growth and enhancing the country’s national status.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van, Deputy Minister Detsongkham Thammavong, and delegates took a photo at the meeting.
Based on the proposals of Deputy Minister Detsongkham Thammavong, Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van and leaders of units under the Ministry of Construction shared an overview of Vietnam's experience in building urban management institutions at the national and local levels; urban planning and development; effective use of capital in urban development programs and projects; and solutions to ensure financial sustainability, operation, and management of urban development projects.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van wished Deputy Minister Detsongkham Thammavong good health and success, and wished the delegation of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for the successful their working program in Viet Nam, with practical and substantive outcomes that would further deepen the friendly and cooperative relations between the two ministries and the two countries.