(KPL) Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and his delegation arrived in New York, United States, on September 25 to attend the General Debate of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver his speech at the General Debate on September 27.

On the evening of September 25, Prime Minister Siphandone and his wife attended a reception hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden, welcoming heads of state and representatives participating in the UN event.

Earlier that day, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith took part in a high-level side event focused on promoting the Global Development Initiative (GDI) for developing countries. The event, chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, was attended by the President of the 79th UNGA and other prominent figures. 

Discussions centered around progress and future collaboration within the GDI framework, with a particular reflection on the outcomes of the 2nd High-Level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development, held in Beijing from July 11-14, 2024.

During the event, Minister Kommasith also met with Julie Bishop, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, to discuss regional issues, particularly the situation in Myanmar. Their discussions focused on joint solutions through the UN and ASEAN frameworks.

On the same day, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Bounkham Vorachit attended the High-Level Plenary on addressing threats posed by sea level rise. She contributed to the plenary's multi-stakeholder dialogue on adaptation, finance, and resilience, emphasizing the importance of global cooperation in combating climate change. The event aimed to enhance understanding of climate-related risks and foster collaboration among UN member states and international organizations to develop adaptive strategies.

Additionally, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongphane Savanphet participated in the ASEAN-Pacific Alliance meeting, which reviewed cooperation between ASEAN member countries and the Pacific Alliance, while setting the course for future collaboration.

The Lao delegation also took part in the Meeting of the Group of 77 and China Senior Officials and the high-level Meeting on International Cooperation on Capacity-Building of Artificial Intelligence. The latter meeting was co-chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Zambian Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati.

KPL