Lao Prime Minister urges ASEAN to bolster intra-bloc solidarity
Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh on October 26 emphasised the need for ASEAN to promote solidarity to make it a strong and sustainable community which plays an important part in bolstering peace and cooperation in the world.
Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh. (Source: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) - Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh on October 26 emphasised the need for ASEAN to promote solidarity to make it a strong and sustainable community which plays an important part in bolstering peace and cooperation in the world.
He made the remark while leading a Lao delegation to the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits held virtually under the chair of Brunei, reported the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At the 38th ASEAN Summit, the Lao PM thanked the ASEAN member states for their assistance to the country in dealing with the ongoing pandemic, including medical equipment and supplies and expertise.
He also called on ASEAN members to continue to work together to curb the spread of COVID-19, as well as to strengthen the health sector and the provision of vaccines to meet individual needs of member countries.
On this occasion, he announced Laos's contribution of 100,000 USD to the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund and 50,000 USD to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management./.
The Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism has launched a roadmap on post-pandemic tourism recovery in the 2021-2025 period, which will focus on promoting domestic travel.
Vietnam has decided to urgently support the Lao Party, State and people with 2.15 million USD and some medical supplies in aid of the nation’s efforts to combat the latest wave of COVID-19, informed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung at a ceremony held on October 25.
An 11-member working team from the central province of Quang Binh to Laos’ Khammouane province to help the bordering country fight COVID-19 returned home on October 25 after successfully completing their missions in two weeks.
ASEAN member countries should strengthen cooperation and solidarity to maintain the bloc's central role, while consistently pursuing the method of implementing ASEAN work, especially protecting the principle of consensus and other rules stated in the ASEAN Charter, said Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Thongphane Savanphet.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh. (Source: VNA) 
