Dak Lak Leader welcomes delegations from four Southern Lao provinces to Durian Festival 2026

On the afternoon of August 15, comrade Nguyen Thien Van, Vice Chairman of the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee, held a courtesy meeting with delegations from four southern Lao provinces - Champasak, Salavan, Sekong, and Attapeu - attending the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival.

On behalf of the leadership and people of Dak Lak Province, Vice Chairman Nguyen Thien Van extended his warmest welcome to the delegates. He also offered his deepest condolences to the leadership and people of Laos on the passing of comrade Xaysomphone Phomvihane, member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee's Politburo and President of the Lao National Assembly on August 8.

Dak Lak PPC Vice Chairman Nguyen Thien Van speaks at the meeting

Dak Lak PPC Vice Chairman Nguyen Thien Van affirmed that Dak Lak has always valued its traditional friendship and special solidarity with the localities of Laos, and expressed hope that cooperation between the localities would become increasingly substantive - not only sustaining existing joint activities but also expanding into new areas suited to each side's strengths and needs, such as agriculture, trade, tourism, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges.

Comrade Somboun Heuangvongsa, Vice Chairman of the Champasak Provincial Administration Committee speaks at the meeting

Through the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival, the province aims not only to promote its durian products but also to create a platform connecting growers, businesses, authorities, and partners across production, processing, trade, logistics, and tourism - opening up further cooperation opportunities and helping the durian industry grow in a stable, higher-value direction.

On behalf of the delegations from the four southern Lao provinces, comrade Somboun Heuangvongsa thanked the leadership of Dak Lak Province for its warm reception of the visiting delegations. He noted that the Dak Lak Durian Festival serves not only as an opportunity to build the brand and expand markets for the durian industry, but also as a chance for localities to exchange experience in agricultural production, processing, and development.

Delegates pose for a group photo at the courtesy meeting

Given the many similarities in agricultural and tourism potential, the southern Lao provinces expressed a desire to strengthen cooperation with Dak Lak- particularly in agriculture, trade, and tourism, helping to deepen and enhance the effectiveness of cooperation between the localities.

Thanh Huyen