Vietnam assists Cambodia and Laos in building drug rehabilitation and agritech centers

A number of projects built with non-refundable aid from the Vietnamese Government have been completed and handed over to Cambodia and Laos on March 22.

The community-based national drug rehabilitation center was formally inaugurated in Cambodia's Preah Sihanouk province, with a donation of US$3 million from Vietnam.

The center, located in Keo Phos commune’s Mong Rethy II village of Preah Sihanouk province, focuses on vocational training for addicts to provide them with a clear career path and life skills when reintegrating into society.

The National Centre for Voluntary and Community-based Treatment Service and Rehabilitation for Drug Addicts consists of buildings to accommodate patients and staff, and treatment and training facilities on an area of about 20ha.

The community-based national drug rehabilitation center is located in Keo Phos commune’s Mong Rethy II village of Preah Sihanouk province’s Stung Hav District. Photo: Tran Long

Speaking at the ceremony, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Ke Kim Yan emphasized that the center would cooperate with the labor ministry and the Ministry of Health as well as the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) to offer programs on vocational and life skills training. It also run a mental health education program, said the Cambodian deputy PM.

For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Huy Tang stated that the inauguration of the center marked a step forward in the cooperation between the two countries in the field of drug addiction treatment in particular and in tackling social vices in general.

This project will become a standard model center for addiction treatment, detoxification and career guidance for addicts. Vietnam is willing to keep strengthening cooperation and share successful models of drug addiction treatment with Cambodia, including vocational training for addicts.

“We believe that today's event is an important and practical milestone to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (June 24, 1967-2022), and contribute to improving the effectiveness of drug prevention in each country," stressed the ambassador.

** The Agricultural Technical Service Center whose construction kicked off in Laos' northern province of Xaysomboun is a meaningful gift from the Vietnamese Government to Laos', especially in the context that the province is still facing many difficulties after being established 8 years ago, said Laos Minister of Planning and Investment Khamjane Vongphosy.

A number of projects built with non-refundable aid from the Vietnamese Government have been completed and handed over to Laos on March 22. Photo: Pham Kien

He stressed that the Lao ministry will further create optimal conditions for Vietnam’s direct investment projects in the country.

For his part, Vietnam's Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, head of the Vietnam - Laos Cooperation Committee who is paying a working visit to Laos from March 21 to 23, called for the two countries’ stronger connections in key areas.

Minister Dung said despite the complex economic, political, and Covid-19 situation in the world, the two countries’ high-level joint statements and agreements have still been carried out from central to local levels.

Vietnamese businesses have invested about US$5.3 billion in 214 projects in Laos, ranking third among foreign investors here, after China and Thailand. They poured $64.3 million into one new project and two existing ones in Laos in the first two months of 2022.

Notably, Vietnam has earmarked VND733 billion ($32 million) in non-refundable aid for Laos this year, Dung noted.