On February 6, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a signing ceremony for the Japanese government’s assistance project for the Economic and Social Development Programme-Public transportation related equipment worth 900 million yen or approximately 124 billion kip.
The signing ceremony was attended by Ms. Phongsam Anlavan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, on behalf of the Lao government, and by Mr. KOIZUMI Tsutomu, Ambassador of Japan to the Lao PDR, and relevant parties from both Japan and Laos.
The assistance project aims to develop transportation in the Lao PDR, especially to enhance transportation to support environmentally friendly tourism in Luang Prabang province, in accordance with the Luang Prabang Urban Transport Master Plan, which was supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), by providing electric buses, facilities, and bus management systems to promote tourism and environmental protection in Luang Prabang province.
On this occasion, the Deputy Minister, on behalf of the Government of the Lao PDR, expressed his sincere gratitude to the Government and people of Japan for their support and cooperation in assisting the Lao PDR over the past years. This assistance project will make a significant contribution to upgrading the capacity of transportation, transportation, and tourism services in Luang Prabang province, as well as gradually improving the quality of life of the Lao people.
On behalf of the relevant Lao sectors, I pledge to use this Japanese assistance responsibly, transparently, efficiently and effectively to bring the greatest benefits to the Lao people. I also express my hope that the Japanese government will continue to provide continuous cooperation in the years to come. This assistance will not only improve infrastructure, but also strengthen the long-standing friendship between the two countries, Laos and Japan, to become even broader and stronger.
On the same occasion, the Ambassador also expressed his commitment to continue working closely with the Lao side to promote friendly relations and good cooperation, and to further develop the Japan-Laos comprehensive strategic partnership to bring the greatest benefits to the people of Japan and Laos in the future. Source: People’s Daily