Category: Government Policy

Luxembourg City: Recently, the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) convened the 16th Lao-Luxembourg Cooperation Commission Meeting in Luxembourg City.

According to Lao News Agency, the meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Minister of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of Luxembourg, and Mr. Phet Phomphiphak, Minister of Planning and Investment of the Lao PDR. Representatives from various Lao ministries and the National University of Laos also participated in the discussions.

The meeting aimed to review past cooperative activities under the joint programme, address challenges, and plan future initiatives. It also served as a platform for discussions, exchanges of ideas, and proposals to resolve outstanding issues, ensuring the effective implementation of ongoing projects. The commission reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation projects and discussed the expansion of the 2023-2027 cooperation programme between the Lao PDR and Luxembourg.

The programme focuses on supporting public health, local development in the provinces of Bokeo, Vientiane, Borikhamxay, and Khammuan, as well as vocational training in tourism and public administration. Additionally, the meeting endorsed a framework for monitoring and evaluating the 2023-2027 cooperation programme. During the meeting, an additional agreement was signed to increase funding for the Lao-Luxembourg Health and Nutrition Project (LAO/035) by pound 10.5 million.

The Lao-Luxembourg Cooperation Commission is a regular cooperation mechanism between the two governments, with hosting responsibilities alternating between the two countries. The most recent meeting was held on February 8, 2024, in Vientiane. On the same occasion, the two sides also held an exchange meeting on Luxembourg’s development experiences. Ms. Phouvang Outhavong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, led the Lao delegation in discussions to share lessons from Luxembourg’s national development, particularly in local development, which is a priority area of Luxembourg’s assistance to the Lao PDR, focusing on the four target provinces: Bokeo, Vientiane, Borikhamxay, and Khammuan.

During their visit to Luxembourg, the Lao delegation also visited the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and green markets to strengthen financial cooperation between the Lao PDR and Luxembourg, particularly in sustainable finance. This follows the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2024 during the visit of Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel to the Lao PDR for ASEAN Summits, paving the way for cooperation in green development and carbon market management.

Vientiane: The 2nd Ordinary Session of the 9th National Assembly is scheduled to take place from March 17-20, 2025, as announced by Ms. Amphayvone Bounpheng, Secretary of the National Assembly. A press conference outlining the details of the upcoming session was held in Vientiane on March 11.

According to Lao News Agency, the three-day session will focus on key national issues, including a report on the improvement of public governance for the year 2025, amendments to two important legal codes-the Local Governance Law and the Civil Servant Law, as well as a government report on national administrative work. Additionally, the session will address an investigation report on special policies for investors in the industrial sector.

The National Assembly will review five key items, including the approval of the 2025 Public Governance Improvement Report, amendments to the Local Governance and Civil Servant Laws, the government’s administrative work, and the investigation into special policies for industrial secto
r investors.

The Secretariat of the National Assembly has established a unit to collect public complaints through a hotline. These complaints will be considered and addressed by the Assembly. Members of the public can submit their opinions via the following channels: hotline: 156, email: [email protected], and App: Laona.

Vientiane: Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane met on Monday in Vientiane with Mongolian Road and Transport Minister Delgersaikhan Borkhuu, who was on a working visit to co-chair the 12th Meeting of the Laos-Mongolia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economy, Science, and Technical Cooperation. FM Thongsavanh welcomed Minister Borkhuu and expressed confidence that his visit would further strengthen the 60-year diplomatic ties and cooperation between Laos and Mongolia. He also conveyed gratitude for the continued assistance provided by the Mongolian Party, government, and people over the past decades.

According to Lao News Agency, Minister Borkhuu thanked his Lao counterpart for the warm welcome and briefed him on the purpose of his visit, as well as the outcomes of the 12th Intergovernmental Commission Meeting. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the 60-year friendship and cooperation between Laos and Mongolia.

They highlighted the importance of regular exchanges at both central
and local levels, including the state visit to Laos by President Khrelskh Ukhnaa in November 2023 and the state visit to Mongolia by President Thongloun Sisoulith in June 2024, during which several agreements were signed to enhance bilateral ties. They noted steady progress in bilateral assistance and cooperation projects, as well as the regular exchange of congratulatory messages on national occasions.

The two ministers also discussed ways to further promote bilateral cooperation, agreeing to continue fostering high-level exchanges and effectively implementing previously signed agreements. They encouraged Mongolian enterprises with strong potential, particularly in the livestock sector, to explore investment opportunities in Laos.

Both sides agreed to enhance trade in agricultural and livestock products by leveraging transport and connectivity opportunities offered by the Laos-China Railway to facilitate trade and people-to-people exchanges. They also agreed to accelerate the establishment of coordination
mechanisms to implement agreements signed by senior leaders on connectivity and transport via the Laos-China Railway, as well as air transport cooperation, to boost trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.