VIENTIANE (Laotian Times): Almost the entirety of Laos capital Vientiane’s population is now above the poverty line, according to Sengaloun Souliyavong, the Head of Vientiane’s Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
As of 18 December, out of 156,392 families in Vientiane, only 899 remain below the poverty line. This marked a new achievement, with 99.43 per cent of families surpassing the poverty threshold.
In a recent meeting, Sengaloun provided an update on Vientiane’s poverty statistics, noting that a large majority of families and villages have reached developed status.
Over 140,000 families and nearly 380 villages have achieved this milestone. However, there are still challenges, with more than 10,000 families and just over 100 villages remaining undeveloped.
While districts like Xaythany and Pak Ngum continue to face developmental challenges, Sengaloun emphasized that the government remains committed to improving the standard of living and meeting the quality of life expectations for all citizens.
In 2023, approximately 83.13 percent of families were above poverty threshold.
This year, Vientiane’s economy grew by 5.85 percent—well above the National Assembly’s target of 0.3 per cent growth. - Laotian Times
