During the meeting of Governors and Mayors of ASEAN Capitals and the ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum and ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from August 11-15, the Mayor of Vientiane Dr Athsphangthong Siphandone and the Governor of Kuala Lumpur, Dato' Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two capitals, focusing on three areas namely: safe cities and cities for older people initiative, compact and comprehensive urban planning, and human resource development. --Photo Vientiane Mai

Editor-in-Chief of Lao Press in Foreign Languages, Mrs Phonesavanh Thikeo, and other editors at the Vientiane Times welcome the Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Laos, Mr Mark Gallagher, and his staff when they visited the newspaper’s office to learn about the development of the paper over the past 30 years. Mr Mark Gallagher extends his best wishes to Mrs Phonesavanh Thikeo and staff on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of Mass Media and Publishing Day.

Industry and commerce officials in Nongbok district, Khammuan province, last week dispose of substandard and illegallly imported products after confiscating them from suppliers.      --Photo Pathetlao

This degraded section of National Highway 4 at Nalae village in Phieng district, Xayabouly province, was impassable on Monday when thick mud caught motorists by surprise, leaving them stranded until help arrived.              --Photo Lao National Radio

KOICA completes first year of food and drug safety training in Laos
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Lao PDR has successfully completed the first year of its five-year capacity-building programme, “Capacity Building for Strengthening Post-Market Surveillance and Quality Assurance on Food and Drug Products (2025–2030)”. Held in the Republic of Korea from August 3-16, the training brought together 15 officials from Laos’ Ministry of Health. Organised by the Hyundai Research Institute, an active contributor to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the programme aimed to enhance Laos’ regulatory capacity in managing the safety and quality of food and pharmaceutical products.
The training focused on Korea’s regulatory practices in post-market surveillance, food inspection, and integrated management systems through lectures and institutional visits. Participants developed action plans aimed at strengthening Laos’ food safety system and border control, with key initiatives including the introduction of an online product registration platform, enhanced market monitoring, and the establishment of emergency response mechanisms. This initiative ultimately aims to support Laos in achieving the World Health Organisation’s Maturity Level 3 by 2030. This is a global standard indicating a stable, well-functioning, and integrated national regulatory system. The second-year course, planned for 2026, will focus on finalising Standard Operating Procedure manuals and supporting the implementation of national strategies through an invitational programme and interim workshop. KOICA Lao PDR remains committed to strengthening the capacity of public officials and promoting sustainable socio-economic development in Laos through ongoing global cooperation and training efforts.