Mr Xaysomphone Phomvihane addresses the closing session of the National Assembly on Friday.

NA adopts rural poverty alleviation as national agenda

The National Assembly (NA) has approved rural development and poverty reduction as a national agenda for 2027-2030, alongside two finance-related laws aimed at strengthening the management of the economy.
Approval was given during an Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly’s 10th legislature which took place from July 6-10, where lawmakers reviewed the government’s economic performance during the first half of 2026 and set priorities for the remainder of the year.
Closing the session on Friday, President of the National Assembly Mr Xaysomphone Phomvihane said the meeting had achieved its objectives through open discussion and strong cooperation among lawmakers and the government.
“This first Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly’s 10th legislature was conducted with great dedication and filled with renewed optimism for boosting democratic rights and enhancing the political responsibility of National Assembly members,” he said.
“It’s achieved success in line with the objectives and goals set out,” he added.
NA members unanimously approved four resolutions. These were the government’s report on the National Socio-Economic Development Plan, the State Budget Plan and the Monetary Plan for the first six months of 2026; the new National Agenda on Rural Development and Poverty Reduction; the new Law on State Treasury; and amendments to the Law on State Budget.
Lawmakers agreed that the rural development and poverty reduction agenda should become a national priority over the years 2027 to 2030. They called on the government to provide a dedicated budget and strengthen investment in agriculture, rural infrastructure, education, healthcare and job creation.
Assembly members also urged the government to improve access to finance for farmers and small businesses, create more irrigation systems, issue more land titles, develop agricultural processing industries, and improve transport links to remote communities.
“To achieve the goals of the new national agenda, the government should establish a coordinated mechanism involving five key sectors—the state, private businesses, banks, the technology sector, and enterprises—to drive rural development and poverty reduction,” Mr Xaysomphone said.
Presenting the proposed National Agenda on Rural Development and Poverty Reduction to lawmakers earlier in the session, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mr Santiphab Phomvihane said the initiative aims to address the root causes of poverty by creating stable jobs and sustainable sources of income, particularly for poor families in rural areas.
He said the government will speed up investment in infrastructure and expand access to essential public services, including healthcare, education, clean water and electricity, to improve living standards and reduce inequality between urban and rural communities.
Mr Santiphab said the agenda also seeks to encourage permanent settlement, create more sustainable livelihoods, and reduce unplanned migration, while giving local authorities and communities a greater role in driving development at the grassroots level.
According to the 2025 national poverty assessment, which covered 1,283,251 households in 8,413 villages across 148 districts, 189,792 families, or 14.78 percent of those surveyed, remain below the poverty line. Under the new national agenda, the government aims to reduce the poverty rate to about 8 percent by the end of 2030.
To support economic growth, lawmakers recommended that a greater effort be made to collect taxes owed to the government through the use of digital systems, and called for fewer tax and duty exemptions that reduce state revenue.
They urged the government to collect revenue from mineral extraction in full accordance with the law and to ensure the payment of all land taxes.
In addition, the National Assembly advised the introduction of measures to encourage the use of electric vehicles to reduce fuel costs, and called for more investment in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power.
Roads were also a hot topic of discussion. NA members urged the government to speed up repairs to damaged roads, particularly in remote areas and on national highways, while strictly enforcing weight limits on heavy trucks to prevent further damage.
Other priorities included closer scrutiny of investment projects and stronger action against companies that fail to meet contractual obligations or delay projects.
Another recommendation was the expansion of the electricity grid to more rural communities, and ensuring that sufficient power is available for new investment projects.
Education and healthcare were also spotlighted. Lawmakers urged the government to tackle the chronic issue of teacher shortages, improve the quality of education, allocate more civil service positions to the education and health sectors, and provide training for workers so they have the skills needed to meet employers’ needs.
The Prime Minister proposed that the National Assembly approve 2,500 new civil service positions for 2026 to strengthen public administration across key sectors.
Environmental protection also featured prominently in NA members’ recommendations. The government was requested to strengthen forest protection, work towards achieving 65 percent forest cover by 2030, improve environmental oversight of land concessions, and take tougher action against illegal encroachment into protected areas.
Mr Xaysomphone said the National Assembly’s decisions reflected the country’s determination to strengthen economic management and improve people’s livelihoods.
Speaking at a media briefing after the session, Head of the Conference Secretariat Mr Bounchan Syvongphanh said the National Assembly benefited from strong public engagement through its hotline.
During the five-day meeting, 153 callers raised 208 issues, voicing concerns about the high cost of electricity, deteriorating roads, rising consumer prices, sand and gravel mining, drug-related problems, and other matters.
NA members instructed the government, relevant agencies and provincial administrations to begin implementing the resolutions adopted to support sustainable economic growth, reduce poverty levels, and improve living standards across the country.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
 (Latest Update July 13, 2026)