Government steps up efforts to spur development

The government has ordered ministries and other agencies to revise reports and work plans to ensure they are practical, detailed and propose realistic solutions to the nation’s development challenges.
The instruction was given at the monthly cabinet meeting held last week under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone chairs a government cabinet meeting last week.

The meeting called for a detailed revision of summary reports, ensuring clear statistics, key tasks by sector,and clarification of remaining issues and specific challenges, to create work plans that are implementable.
Regarding a report on events that took place during the 2568 Lao New Year celebrations, the meeting urged the relevant departments to draw lessons from this year’s activities and promote the preservation of cultural  traditions in future years. The festival is seen as a platform to unite ethnic groups and boost tourism.
Provincial authorities were advised to organise Lao New Year activities that highlight their special identity while also keeping costs low.
The meeting also underscored the need to teach young people about the value of cultural traditions, encourage them to avoid wild parties and excessive drinking, and generally ensure that the celebrations are both joyful and safe.
In terms of the Party’s Three Builds directive for 2025-2030, the relevant authorities were instructed to evaluate previous work and use lessons learnt to formulate future plans that are both realistic and achievable.
The meeting also approved several draft pieces of legislation in principle. These include a decree on the Goods Production Fund, a new law on cultivation, the National Adaptation Programme of Action to Climate Change, a vision towards 2040, and a plan for the management and use of water resources covering the period 2025-2030.
The relevant departments were instructed to revise these drafts based on government members’ feedback, ensuring the documents are clear, concise, comprehensive, and comply with existing laws and international conventions.
Turning to the government’s work plan for May, the meeting agreed to continue efforts to meet the goals of the National Socio-Economic Development Plan, the State Budget Plan and the Monetary Plan for 2025, with a focus on tackling economic challenges.
Key tasks include strengthening national defence and security, securing border areas, and addressing issues such as drug problems, smuggling, robbery, and road accidents. Measures must also be taken to curb illegal gold mining and other unlawful activities.
The government stressed the need to prepare reports for the 10th Plenary Session of the 11th Party Central Committee and the 9th Ordinary Session of the 9th National Assembly, with documents to be completed and submitted in May.
The country’s economic recovery should be supported by the import of fewer goods and export of more goods. More crops should be grown on a commercial basis, both for domestic sale and export and for supply to processing factories.
Preparations for rainy season farming must be stepped up, including land preparation, fertiliser distribution, and monitoring for pests and crop diseases.
Meeting attendees were also advised to compile accurate import and export data and study ways to minimise the impacts of the United States’ tariff hikes on imported goods.
Laos will continue to build on the outcomes of the ASEAN Summit, integrate the nine priority areas into the 10th five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2026-2030, and build on the achievements of the 47th meeting of the Laos-Vietnam Bilateral Cooperation Committee.
Preparations will also be made for the participation of the Party Secretary General and President of Laos in a parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War in Russia and the Nikkei Conference in Japan.
The Prime Minister instructed all ministries and other government agencies  to incorporate the government’s work plan into their own plans, with clear division of responsibilities, set deadlines, and practical action in keeping with current circumstances.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update April 29, 2025)