Mr Thongsavan Phomvihane addresses a high-level meeting during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week.  --Photo Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Laos seeks stronger partnerships as LDC graduation approaches
 
The government is looking to strengthen international partnerships to support its development priorities beyond planned graduation from Least Developed Country status at the end of this year, with a focus on connectivity, climate resilience and sustainable development.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Thongsavan Phomvihane highlighted these priorities at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he led a Lao delegation in high-level meetings and bilateral discussions with development partners and friendly countries.
According to a news release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Thongsavan, when addressing the Annual Ministerial Meeting for Least Developed Countries chaired by Nepal’s Foreign Minister, said Laos remains committed to graduating from LDC status by the end of 2026, describing the milestone as a new stage in the country’s development rather than the end of its development efforts.
He called on development partners to continue providing technical and financial support to countries graduating from LDC status and those going through the transition period, saying such assistance is important to ensure sustainable and quality development and strengthen their ability to respond to emerging challenges.
Connectivity was another priority highlighted by the Deputy Prime Minister at the Annual Ministerial Meeting of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs).
He pointed to the Laos-China Railway, the opening of Vung Ang Port in Vietnam and Laos’ participation in the second railway corridor of the Organisation for Cooperation of Railways as important achievements in efforts to transform Laos from a “landlocked” into a “land-linked” country.
The LLDC meeting reaffirmed commitments to implement the Awaza Programme of Action for 2024-2034 and welcomed the UN Secretary-General’s appointment of a High-Level Panel on Freedom of Transit for LLDCs.
The meeting also adopted an LLDC Ministerial Declaration identifying digital transformation and building resilience to climate change as priority areas for future cooperation.
On the bilateral front, Mr Thongsavan held talks with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, with both sides expressing appreciation for progress in bilateral cooperation and exchanging views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
They reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN-Australia cooperation and welcomed the outcomes of the ASEAN-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in July, including the adoption of a joint statement on the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
Mr Thongsavan also met Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe to discuss ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, labour and mining.
The Rwandan Foreign Minister, acting on behalf of the Secretary-General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, welcomed the Lao delegation’s participation in the Francophonie Summit scheduled for November.
Meanwhile, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Ms Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Laos during its transition from LDC status.
She pledged continued technical and financial assistance to help Laos fulfil the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the government’s 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan, as well as prepare its fourth Voluntary National Review.
UNESCAP also expressed its commitment to supporting Laos’ efforts to develop climate-resilient infrastructure, an area identified as an important priority during the UN General Assembly session.
The Lao delegation’s engagements in New York reflect the government’s efforts to maintain international support while broadening cooperation in areas considered important to the country’s development beyond LDC status.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update September 29, 2026)