Vice Minister of Planning and Investment Kikeo Chanthaboury (R) meet Ms Jane Chandler, Chargé d'Affaires of the Australian Embassy, Lao PDR in Vientiane on Jan 26

(KPL) Australia Day, the 26th of January, provides the opportunity to celebrate all that is positive about Australia and the Australian way of life.  

This includes the strong ties of friendship, cooperation and loyalty that have deep roots in Australian culture.

The Australian people are committed to coming together as equals in times of crisis, such as we are seeing globally with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australia and the Lao PDR share these deep ties of friendship and they are only growing stronger. We are working together to overcome the immense challenges posed by COVID-19, and we are working together to deliver on our common vision of better quality of life for our citizens, including through economic growth, health security and stability in our region.

Australia is proud to stand by the Lao PDR and support our mutual development goals through Australia’s Partnerships for Recovery strategy, which sets out Australia’s role in supporting COVID-19 response and recovery in the Indo-Pacific.  Australia is also supporting the Lao PDR through a Vaccine Response Plan and COVID-19 Development Response Plan (CDRP).

The CDRP will guide Australia’s support for health security, stability and economic recovery in the Lao PDR, with an emphasis on our mutual interest in gender equality and social inclusion. The plan builds on existing development programmes that are aligned with the Lao PDR’s pandemic response. In addition, new programmes will broaden our support and provide greater flexibility to respond to the government of the Lao PDR’s emerging priorities.

Vice Minister of Planning and Investment Kikeo Chanthaboury, and Chargé d'Affaires of the Australian Embassy in the Lao PDR Jane Chandler, met today to reaffirm their commitment to the collaboration on COVID-19 response, recovery and resilience.

Both sides agreed to coordinate across the government to ensure our resources are effectively mobilised to deliver development outcomes for the Lao PDR.

Australia will also continue to work closely with the Lao PDR through ASEAN and as a member of the Mekong sub-region to address regional health, social and economic challenges exacerbated by COVID-19.

By: Jane Chandler, Chargé d'Affaires of the Australian Embassy, Lao PDR

KPL