KPL
On 3 July 2026, Australian Ambassador Megan Jones met Mr Santiphab Phomvihane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Lao PDR, to congratulate him on his recent appointment as Deputy Prime Minister and reaffirm Australia's commitment to supporting the Lao PDR's economic development priorities under the Laos - Australia Comprehensive Partnership.
Ambassador Jones welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister's update on Laos' economic outlook and reform agenda, including the Government's intention to elevate poverty reduction and rural development as national priorities.
She noted that Australia's development partnership is closely aligned with these goals by supporting more resilient livelihoods, stronger institutions and sustainable, inclusive economic growth.
The Ambassador reaffirmed Australia's longstanding partnership with the Lao PDR and highlighted Australia's estimated AUD64.4 million Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme for Laos in 2026-27, comprising bilateral, regional and global investments.
Australia's support spans key sectors including public financial management, agriculture, education, health, energy, climate resilience and governance, helping create the conditions for sustainable development and high-quality private sector investment.
Ambassador Jones highlighted Australia's long-standing partnership with the Ministry of Finance to strengthen public financial management, including support for fiscal and budget reforms, official development assistance coordination and institutional capacity building.
These efforts are helping improve economic governance, strengthen public service delivery, and build investor confidence.
The Ambassador also thanked the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance for their continued support for Australia's development cooperation programme and Australian businesses investing in Laos, recognising the important role of responsible investment in supporting sustainable economic growth and job creation.
The meeting highlighted Australia's broader regional engagement through the Mekong-Australia Partnership and Invested: Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, which are deepening economic cooperation, strengthening regional resilience and supporting sustainable growth across Southeast Asia.
Deputy Prime Minister Santiphab expressed his appreciation to the Australian Government and the Australian people for their longstanding partnership and continued support for the Lao PDR's development priorities.
Both parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation to support a more resilient, inclusive and prosperous future for the Lao PDR.
KPL
