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Friday, November 7, 2025
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Laos Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive Growth and Social Progress at UN Summit

This Week

Laos has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive, people-centered development and called for stronger international cooperation to tackle poverty and inequality at the Second World Summit for Social Development, held from 4 to 6 November in Doha, Qatar.

Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith represented Laos at the global forum, which brought together leaders and representatives from 166 countries and international organizations. In his address, Saleumxay highlighted the country’s steady progress in poverty reduction, noting that the national poverty rate had fallen from 46 percent in 1993 to just under 17 percent in 2023.

He said these achievements reflect the government’s sustained investment in education, healthcare, and job creation, particularly for women, children, persons with disabilities, and people living in remote rural areas.

Saleumxay emphasized that social development remains a core pillar of Laos’s national agenda, underpinning efforts to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth. 

To sustain these gains, he called for deeper collaboration among governments, the private sector, and international partners, citing the United Nations Roundtable as a key platform for aligning national priorities with global goals.

Looking ahead, the Deputy Prime Minister urged the international community to strengthen multilateral cooperation to address shared global challenges. He identified technological innovation, renewable energy transition, climate resilience, and stronger links between regional and global development frameworks as priority areas for future partnership.

The summit, chaired by United Nations General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, reviewed global progress since the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration and concluded with the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration, reaffirming a collective commitment to advancing social justice and equality worldwide.

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