Laos becomes the 56th country to join UNICEF's UPSHIFT programme, an initiative that empowers young people through skills for innovation and problem-solving. Chaired by the Deputy Secretary General of the Lao Youth Union, Mr Thongly Sisoulith, 50 youth participants in Luang Prabang took part in a four-day bootcamp to discuss solutions to protecting the environment and supporting their communities. The programme is proudly supported by WeMade.

Representatives of China’s Kunming district welfare service centre for community development donate educational equipment, clothing and other supplies worth 456 million kip to the Foundation for Poverty Assistance and the Rescue 1623 team in Luang Namtha province.--Photo Pasaxon

Officials from Laos, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, representing the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) framework, visit the Nuozhadu hydropower plant in Jinghong, Yunnan province, China. This landmark project, the fifth of eight cascades along the Lancang River, is renowned for its cutting-edge technology, immense capacity, and significant contributions to renewable energy and poverty alleviation across the region.

Representatives of the six member nations of the LMC framework tour the Huaneng Jinghong hydropower station in Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan province. Located just 5 kilometres upstream of Jinghong City, the station stands out as a model of excellence in the hydropower industry. It features the sole navigation facility along the Lancang-Mekong River mainstream, greatly enhancing navigability. With a year-round discharge flow exceeding 800 cubic metres per second, the station helps downstream countries in times of drought and supports key initiatives such as joint patrol operations and law enforcement.

Locals pan for gold in a river in Thatphaxay village in Xaysettha district, Attapeu province. The event was organised by provincial authorities under the Visit Laos Year programme and to honour Xaysettha’s Buddha statue. --Photo Lao National Radio