Laos pushes to increase exports, earning US$977mil in five months of 2025
VIENTIANE: Laos earned US$977 million from agricultural exports in the first five months of 2025, reaching 65 percent of the Lao National Assembly's annual target of US$1.5 billion.
The Lao government is accelerating efforts to strengthen agricultural exports and enforce stricter oversight of the mining industry in a bid to reduce import dependency, expand trade, and ensure sustainable economic development.
Speaking at the ninth ordinary session of the Lao National Assembly's ninth legislature on Monday (June 9), Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone highlighted key achievements in agriculture and mining as part of the country's strategy to reduce import dependency and promote sustainable economic growth.
To boost export competitiveness, the Lao government is expediting the construction of a modern slaughterhouse that meets international standards.
This facility is expected to enhance the quality and marketability of the country's meat exports.
In parallel with its agricultural initiatives, the government is intensifying oversight of the mining sector.
In his speech, Sonexay reaffirmed the government's commitment to economic diversification and sustainable development, pledging continued reforms in both agriculture and natural resource management. - Xinhua
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Indonesia aims to seal EU free trade agreement in 2026, official says
A man walks past as a container is unloaded from a truck at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 3, 2025. -- REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana JAKARTA (Reuters): Indonesia aims to seal a free trade agreement with the European Union in 2026, Indonesian trade ministry official Djatmiko Bris Witjaksono said, after the two sides completed their latest round of negotiations. Indonesia and the EU have been in discussions on the agreement for about nine years, and are aiming to sign and ratify it by next year, Djatmiko told reporters, adding it could come into effect by late 2026 or early 2027. The EU has committed to provide market access to priority Indonesian products such as palm oil, textiles, footwear and seafood, Djatmiko said. Indonesia and the EU have previously clashed on tougher EU trade rules for products with potential links to deforestation, which could have an impact on shipments of Indonesian palm oil. In turn, Indonesia has also pledged to increase market access for agricultural and manufactured goods from the EU, Djatmiko said. EU ambassador to Indonesia Denis Chaibi said negotiations are ongoing and "substance will determine timing." The main benefits of the free trade deal for Indonesia include increased foreign direct investment from the EU in sectors like renewables, semiconductors, and mineral derivatives, a presentation slide presented by Djatmiko showed. The deal could increase exports by 5.4%, according to an internal benefit analysis, but senior economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said this was a conservative estimate and he targets a 50% increase in three years. In 2024, the EU invested US$1.1 billion in Indonesia, a drop of more than 50% from the previous year. Indonesia's exports to the EU last year were worth US$17.3 billion, while imports from the EU were worth US$12.8 billion, Indonesian government data showed. (Reporting by Gayatri Suroyo; Writing by Stanley Widianto; Editing by John Mair, David Stanway and Susan Fenton) - Reuters
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Zelensky urges US to 'shift tone' in dialogue with Russia
KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday urged the US to 'shift tone' in its dialogue with Russia as he warned that appeasing President Vladimir Putin would not help to end the war. 'Right now, the tone of the US-Russia dialogue feels too warm,' Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter, adding, 'let's be honest: that won't stop Putin. What's needed is a shift in tone.'
Malaysian Reserve
5 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Xinhua Silk Road: 3rd Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo kicks off to boost win-win cooperation
BEIJING, June 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The third Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo (TISIE) kicked off in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Thursday, attracting the attention and participation of over 440 enterprises. To better present the development achievements of China's shipping industry and the future development trend of the global shipping industry, the expo is themed on 'Shipping to the World and Navigating towards the Future, Embracing New Opportunities for Openness and Cooperation'. It focuses on the entire shipping industry chain, aiming to create the largest and most influential shipping industry event and cooperation exchange platform in China and even the world. Lasting till June 14, the expo features nine exhibition areas involving international ports, green and smart shipping, shipping industry chains, etc., covering over 50,000 square meters, and over 20 professional activities will be held to display the development modes of the shipping industry from multiple dimensions. Representatives from various ports, industries, and authoritative research institutions at home and abroad shared the latest trends in global port and shipping development at the opening ceremony. Major industry achievements were also released at the opening ceremony, including the blue book on the development of Tianjin international shipping center by China Economic Information Service (CEIS), the port economic development report of Chinese seaport cities by the Transport Planning and Research Institute with the Ministry of Transport, the ESG evaluation guidelines for international shipping and logistics enterprises, etc. Tianjin Port's operation reached its historical high level in 2024, with container throughput rising to eighth in the world and sea-rail intermodal transportation ranking third among coastal ports in China, and its land-sea connectivity and global radiation capabilities have been significantly improved, said Cao Wenzhong, president with CEIS. According to the 2024 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index, Tianjin's shipping service industry has gradually taken shape, with prominent advantages in shipping finance, Cao noted, adding that the practical exploration of the port-industry-city integration in Tianjin has great demonstration value, and the port economy has risen to become the 'golden engine' for high-quality regional development. Original link:
