(KPL) Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune has called on relevant authorities to prioritize the 5th Population and Housing Census, recognizing it as a national priority and urging active engagement to ensure its success.

He emphasized the need for authorities at all levels to raise public awareness of the census, in alignment with central government guidelines, to encourage participation and ensure that stakeholders fully understand the importance of the data collected.

Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo also instructed steering committees to develop detailed plans for training, implementation, and follow-up to guarantee the quality and effectiveness of the census.

The third nationwide steering committee meeting for the 5th Population and Housing Census (2025) was convened on January 14, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo, who also serves as chairman of the national steering committee for the census. Representatives from relevant offices and sectors attended the meeting.

Minister of Planning and Investment, Phet Phomphiphak, highlighted that Laos has conducted a nationwide population and housing census every ten years since 1985. The upcoming census, scheduled for 2025, will be the fifth of its kind.

“This census is crucial for collecting data on population and housing, education, labor and disabilities, migration, birth and death rates, and sanitation. Such data will illustrate changes in the size, structure, growth, and distribution of the population over the past ten years. It will serve as a foundation for formulating policies and plans for population management,” said Minister Phet Phomphiphak.

The census data will serve as fundamental information for evaluating the implementation of the 9th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan, shaping the next five-year plan, and assessing progress in sustainable development. The data will also be vital in determining whether Lao PDR meets the criteria to graduate from least developed country status.

KPL