It is imperative for Laos to be resolute in translating political commitment into concrete actions, while enhancing mutual trust, cooperation and assistance in order to collectively address challenges.
Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith made the statement at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), held in New York on September 23.
“We need to continue to adhere to the fundamental principles of the United Nations in resolving regional and international conflicts by peaceful means, while promoting development cooperation with focus on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“Taking this opportunity, I would like to commend Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on his active and tireless undertakings towards achievements of the United Nations’ mission and objectives in many fronts over the past decade.
“The international community remains concerned over various challenges and developments in many regions of the world.
To name a few, terrorism and extremism remain a threat to regional and global peace and security, more than 800 million people across the world still live in extreme poverty, while natural disasters and climate change have caused tremendous damage to social and economic development of various parts of the world. At the same time, the global economy is still fragile and growing at a slow pace.
“Against this backdrop, the international community has, over the past years, made collective efforts to respond to and address those challenges by adopting various measures and mechanisms, including cooperation frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda for Financing Sustainable Development, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Programme of Actions of Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.
“Climate change and more frequent and severe natural disasters have affected the national development as well as the livelihoods of the people around the world. This poses a major challenge that no single country alone is able to address.
“Recognising the importance of this issue, the government of the Laos formally joined the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. I very much hope that the Paris Agreement will enter into force by the end of this year and will be effectively implemented.
“For its part, the Lao government has submitted its Nationally Determined Contributions and integrated climate change, natural disaster risk reduction and management into its National Socio-Economic Development Plan.”
Source: Vientiane Times
