The event brought together senior government officials, lawmakers, researchers, humanitarian organizations and provincial representatives to discuss policies and strategies for addressing climate-related challenges in Laos.

Participants included Amphaivon Lormbunpheng, deputy ministers from relevant ministries, representatives from the Lao Red Cross, the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, members of the National Assembly and Provincial People’s Councils, and other stakeholders.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Monxay Laomouasong said climate change and natural disasters are global challenges that affect socio-economic development and the livelihoods of people who depend heavily on natural resources.

He said Laos has actively implemented international commitments related to climate change mitigation and disaster risk reduction, but acknowledged that challenges and limitations remain in implementation.

The seminar was organized by the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture, Social Affairs, and Ethnic Affairs in cooperation with helvetas.org to strengthen awareness, technical knowledge and institutional capacity on climate adaptation and disaster preparedness.

Discussions focused on 14 presentations divided into three key areas: policy and legislation, technical adaptation measures, and coordination mechanisms.

Topics included reviews of climate-related laws and strategies, greenhouse gas reduction measures, resilience building, modern disaster early warning systems, and improving coordination between central and local authorities in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Participants also exchanged experiences and lessons learned from responding to climate-related disasters in their local communities.

KPL