Laos strengthens partnership under South-South Cooperation

Doha, Qatar: The Lao government will have more engagement with developing countries under South-South Cooperation, as part of efforts to mobilise more international support for the country’s smooth transition out of Least Developed Country (LDC) status.
Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Mrs Phonevanh Outhavong and her delegation attended the Ministerial Meeting on South-South Cooperation held here on March 7 as a side event to the 5th Least Developed Countries conference.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Mrs Phonevanh Outhavong delivers the Lao PDR statement at the Ministerial Meeting on South-South   Cooperation on March 7 in Doha, Qatar.   --Photo Thanouphet Xaiyavong

At the conference, Ms Phonevanh delivered the Lao PDR statement, which acknowledged the contribution of South-South Cooperation in helping Laos to alleviate poverty, laying a strong foundation for Laos’ graduation from LDC status in 2026. 
South-South Cooperation is a new global cooperation platform, which enables developing countries to support each other and share their successful experiences. This initiative has been established as an alternative to traditional international cooperation, in which rich and advanced and developed nations provide support for least developed and developing nations to overcome their development obstacles.
According to the Lao PDR statement delivered at the ministerial meeting, South-South Cooperation is important as it makes a direct contribution to the formulation and implementation of Laos’ National Socio-economic Development Plans, fulfilment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the country’s transition to developing nation status.
Thanks to South-South Cooperation, Laos will have the opportunity to share the experiences, knowledge and skills of countries in the global South, according to the statement, which added that this engagement serves as a powerful catalyst for Laos’ development.
“We look forward to more effective South-South Cooperation that encourages countries to collaborate with each other as equal partners to accelerate capacity building in different areas and at all levels to foster trade and private investment, knowledge and technology transfer, adaptation, mitigation, information management and sharing to ensure sustainability and to help LDCs graduate smoothly,” Mrs Phonevanh said as quoted in the Lao PDR statement.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
 (Latest Update March 9, 2023)