Canadian Ambassador to Laos, Dr. Sarah Taylor paid a a courtesy visit to Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health. - Laotian Times/ANN
VIENTIANE, July 24: Canadian Ambassador to Laos, Dr. Sarah Taylor, concluded a successful visit to Laos after more than two years’ absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Laotian Times.
The visit underscored Canada’s ongoing efforts to deepen the Canada-Laos relationship, and included discussion with the Lao government and other interlocutors on key international issues such as the global economic crisis, the war in Ukraine and conflict in Myanmar, the upcoming Asean and APEC ministerial meetings and summits, and how best Canada and Lao PDR can work shoulder-to-shoulder on behalf of our people.
During her visit, Ambassador Taylor met with Minister of Industry and Commerce, Malaithong Kommasith, Minister of Health, Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bounleua Phandanouvon, to deepen collaboration, partnership and dialogue between Canada and Laos, and reinforce Canada’s commitment to supporting the country’s post-pandemic recovery and efforts to respond to the economic crisis.
Supported by the Office of the Embassy of Canada to Laos, Ambassador Taylor also met various local non-profit and community organisations, UN agency and diplomatic representatives, and the Canadian community in Laos.
“As in partnership with Laos for the last 48 years, Canada continues to realize the benefits of our growing relationship. Canada remains keen to further strengthen bilateral and commercial ties, continue moving the dialogue forward on gender equality, inclusive governance, and human rights, elevate our relationship with Asean to Strategic Partner, and explore how best to work together to ensure our societies remain resilient in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 challenge and the mounting economic crisis buffeting us all,” stated Taylor.
Canada contributes CND 4-8 million annually in assistance, focusing on gender equality, human rights and inclusive governance awareness, skills training for vulnerable groups, disaster resilience, border management, money laundering, drug trafficking, cyber threats, biosafety, and UXO mitigation.
Since 2000, Canada has contributed over CND 150 million to development and poverty reduction in Lao PDR through local and regional institutions, multilateral programs, and through Canadian and international civil society organizations.
Earlier this year, Canada donated to the Lao Ministry of Health over 1 million masks valued at CND 3.5 million and which followed a donation last August of more than half a million masks from PRIMED Medical Products, a Canadian company soon to be launching their manufacturing operations in Laos later this year.
