Prime Minister Hun Sen talks with his Lao counterpart Phankham Viphavanh. SPM
Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh said he considered the 200,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines donated by the Cambodian government as a warm gesture that would bring closer ties, long-term solidarity and good neighbourly relations between them.
On September 28, Cambodia donated 200,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines to Laos to assist the country in bringing its Covid-19 outbreak under control as only 25 per cent of Laos is vaccinated.
In a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen, which was made public by Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on September 29, Phankham expressed his nation’s sincere appreciation for the donation.
“This invaluable assistance is a testimonial to the Cambodian government and people’s genuine compassion for the people of Laos and their firm solidarity with [the Lao government].
“It also reaffirms our cordial relations and friendship, time-honoured solidarity and the sound good-neighbour cooperative efforts based on our comprehensive and lasting strategic partnership between our two countries that has increasingly been enhanced and deepened as our plans have come to fruition,” he said.
Phankham deemed the trilateral meeting of the ruling party leaders of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia in Hanoi on September 26 a historically significant event and an unqualified success.
“This historic trilateral party-leader meeting constituted a significant milestone in further enhancing and broadening the friendly ties and cooperation among the Indochinese nations. It is also a reflection of the close bonds among the three nations of Laos-Vietnam-Cambodia generally and between Laos and Cambodia in particular.
“On behalf of the Party, Government and people of Laos, I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and appreciation to Samdech Hun Sen, the Cambodian People’s Party and Cambodian government and people for the assistance and support extended to Laos over the past two years, especially amid such difficult times when both of our countries face severe Covid-19 outbreaks.
“And despite its own outbreak, Cambodia has nonetheless generously shared what it has with us by providing Laos with 200,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines,” Phankham said.
Phankham deemed the Cambodian government’s move as helping Laos attain the target of 50 per cent of its population inoculated by year’s end as planned.
Hun Sen said on September 28 that the provision of Sinovac vaccines assistance was an expression of his concern for the wellbeing of the people of both countries given that they share a border with each other that is remote and in some areas unsecured.
“The provision of the vaccines to the Lao government now is aimed at improving the wellbeing of the Lao people and to help them win their battle against Covid-19,” he said.
The Cambodian government has previously donated personal protective equipment (PPE) for use in prevention of the spread of Covid-19 to Myanmar, East Timor, Vietnam and Nepal.
