Economy

Laos Cuts 7-Day Base Interest Rate to 7% as Economic Risks Persist

The Bank of Laos (BOL) has cut its seven-day base interest rate from 8 percent to 7 percent a year as inflation remains below the government’s 8 percent target. The Monetary Policy Committee approved the cut at its meeting on 20 August, where it reviewed monetary policy, economic conditions, fuel...

Prime Minister Calls for Tighter Oversight of Boten SEZ Amid Development Challenges

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has called for stronger management of the Boten Special Economic...

Laos-China Railway Trade Surges as Cross-Border Freight Hits New Highs

Trade along the Laos-China Railway continued to grow sharply in the first half of...

Laos Identifies Two New Rare Earth Target Areas Across Four Provinces

Laos has completed field surveys and identified two major potential rare earth target areas...

Laos Studies USD 1 Billion Vientiane-Lidu Industrial Park in Pakngum

On 13 August, Laos agreed to study the development of a new industrial park...

Laos Calls for Increased ASEAN Investment in Nature-Based Solutions

Laos is urging ASEAN member states to ramp up investment in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), calling them powerful tools for protecting...

New Incentives for Nature-Based Tourism Investment in Lao Forests

World Bank Laos - A decision announced today by the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will promote nature-based tourism in forested areas of...

Laos Signs Agreement to Develop Pumped-Storage Hydropower Project in Sekong

On 1 September, Électricité du Laos Generation Public Company (EDL-Gen) signed an agreement with private firms from Singapore to develop the pumped-storage hydropower (PSH)...

One in Three Girls in Laos Married Before 18, UNICEF Reports

One in three girls in Laos is married before 18, making it one of the highest child marriage rates in the region, UNICEF reports. Despite...

Luang Prabang to Build Ring Road Connecting UNESCO City, Chomphet District

Luang Prabang authorities have launched a major infrastructure project to build an 80-kilometer ring road connecting Luang Prabang City with Chomphet District. They held...

Laos to Boost Digital Skills with USD 9.9 million Support from South Korea

Laos is set to accelerate its digital transformation with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which has pledged USD 9.9 million to...