(KPL) Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has urged the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to continue to maintain public roads to ensure they are durable, thus contributing to the national economic development and creating convenience for the Lao people to travel and communicate.
Giving a guidance speech to the annual meeting of the Public Works and Transport sector held in Vientiane on April 9, the premier urged the sector to encourage relevant authorities to contribute to the development, management and improvement of public roads according to established standards and pay attention to modernizing transport and logistic facilities, urban planning management, and ensure urbanization activities are environment friendly.  
He called on the sector to contemplate on upgrading some domestic airports to international standards and attach attention to ensuring approved investment projects are implemented effectively and completed as planned.
The Prime Minister also informed the gathering about the guidance of President Thongloun Sisoulith on transforming the country’ import-dependent economy into an independent one.
Minister of Public Works and Transport Ngampasong Meuangmany said that the national meeting of the Public Works and Transport sector for 2023 is held to review the performance of the ministry over the past twelve months, as well as its implementation of its five–year development plan (2021-2025), directions for 2024 and the national agenda on addressing economic and financial difficulties.  
The meeting also provided the opportunity for the participants to discuss how to address pressing issues of the Public Works and Transport sector including the management of truck weights, international land transport and the devising of a business plan for the Lao Water Supply Enterprise.