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PM urges international community’s joint efforts to address Covid-19

Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh has urged international community, and countries with advanced healthcare science, researchers, scientists around the world to work together on research and development of Covid-19 vaccines, medicines, as well as investigation into the origin and cause of the virus.
“We are eager to see health scientists around the world working together closely to find out approach to protection of people’s lives around the world without discrimination,” said the Prime Minister.
Delivering a statement at the General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sep 25, Mr Viphavanh also urged the world leaders to avoid blaming each other on the issue related to the origin of Covid-19 and using it as a reason for creating political conflicts.
The General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly took place on 21-25 and 27 September under the theme “Building resilience through hope – to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations”.
PM Phankham commended the attention the international community has attached to preventing and combating the pandemic noting that such effort has become number one priority of the world. “The issue and its common solutions have been raised at both bilateral and multilateral forums. This encourages us and gives us hope that we will be able to overcome Covid-19.”
“The world community’s decision to strengthen cooperation is clearly demonstrated by their concrete action, including the exchange of information on Covid-19, prevention measures and the provision of medical supplies, vaccines, medicines and the mitigation of social and economic impacts of Covid-19,” said the premier.
He urged the international community and developed countries to attach importance and attention to increasing assistance for developing and least developed countries to ensure they can cope with the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic.
Viphavanh expressed the Lao government and people’s gratitude to the international community, friendly countries and international organizations for extending assistance to the Lao PDR noting that such assistance had enabled the Lao PDR to contain the covid-19 outbreak.
He noted that over the past two years Covid-19 has destroyed world’s economic chain, with every country in the world facing economic recession and stagnation, directly impacting socio-economic development especially in developing and least developed countries, removing achievements in implementing international obligations and Sustainable Development Goals made in pre-Covid-19 period and the conditions and capabilities that will ensure the recovery of these countries are very dim.
The premier also highlighted the importance the Lao government has attached to addressing climate change by incorporating goals of Paris Agreement into the National Socio-economic Development Plan and the National Green Growth Strategy.
Between 2000 and 2020, the Lao PDR reduced green house gas emission by 34%. In addition the government has submitted the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations, which sets a target of reducing green house gas by 60% by 2030.
He called on the world community to speed up the fulfillment of the targets of Paris Agreement to prevent and reduce extreme natural disasters that pose severe impacts on the world.
He also reaffirmed that the Lao PDR is applying for membership of the United Nations Economic and Social Council for 2023-2025 period and noted that the application obviously demonstrated the decisive decision and readiness of the Lao PDR to contribute actively to the noble task of the United Nations.

Source: Lao News Agency

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