(KPL)The Ministry of Public Security of the Lao PDR officially received a newly constructed treatment and rehabilitation center for drug addicts from the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam during a handover ceremony held on July 30 in Vientiane Province.

The ceremony was attended by senior leaders from both countries, including General Vilay Lakhamphong, Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security of the Lao PDR, and General Luong Tam Quang, Member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Minister of Public Security of Vietnam.

Also in attendance were Mr. Khamphan Sitthidampha, Member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and Governor of Vientiane Province, along with central-level officials, representatives of party committees, and key leadership personnel from both ministries.

During the ceremony, participants reviewed a report on the implementation of the project. On behalf of the Vietnamese Party, Government, and Ministry of Public Security, General Luong Tam Quang officially handed over the facility to the Lao Ministry of Public Security for safekeeping and operational use.

In his remarks, General Vilay Lakhamphong emphasized the growing global and regional drug crisis, noting that it poses a serious threat to peace, security, and socio-economic development. Laos, he said, is not immune to the dangers posed by drug addiction, which has severely affected the health, lives, and future of young people, while undermining social cohesion and national progress.

In response, the Lao Government elevated the drug problem to a national agenda beginning in 2021, with the Ministry of Public Security playing a key role in coordinating across sectors to implement comprehensive solutions. The newly completed center is an integral part of this strategy, designed to provide drug users with treatment, rehabilitation, and vocational training to support reintegration into society.

The project began with a joint foundation stone-laying ceremony by the Ministers of Public Security from both countries on July 12, 2024. Funded by the Vietnamese Government, construction has now been completed on schedule.

General Vilay expressed confidence that the center will become a symbol of Lao-Vietnamese friendship and a model institution in drug addiction treatment. He extended his sincere gratitude to the Vietnamese Party and Government for their continued support and called for further cooperation in capacity building and knowledge sharing in the field of drug treatment.

KPL