VIENTIANE: The Lao government on Friday (Feb 28) launched the implementation process for the fifth Population and Housing Census, marking an important step toward shaping the country's future.
Addressing the event, the Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune (pic), emphasised the importance of the 2025 Census, noting that its findings will play a crucial role in national development by providing essential data to assess progress in achieving national development goals and to bolster effective planning.
The country’s first ever digital census will provide valuable insights into demographic trends, migration patterns, access to education, employment rates, housing conditions and other matters.
“This data will be instrumental in addressing labour market imbalances, supporting human resource development, managing urbanisation and enabling effective planning for infrastructure and public services,” said Dr Kikeo, who is the Chairperson of the National Steering Committee for the census.
The Minister of Planning and Investment, Dr Phet Phomphiphak, added that the 2025 Census will generate accurate and comprehensive data for tracking progress outlined in the ninth National Social Economic Development Plan. Its findings will serve as a reference for preparing the monitoring framework for the tenth five-year National Social Economic Development Plan for 2026 to 2030.
The Vice Mayor of Vientiane, Phouvong Vongkhamsao, said statistics and data are essential references for city development planning to ensure the well-being of the capital's residents and for developing Vientiane as the leading city of Laos in line with the government’s policy.
Speaking on behalf of development partners and the key partner supporting the implementation of the 2025 Census, the UNFPA Representative, Dr Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, said the UN agency is committed to supporting Laos in preparing and implementing the census, and ensuring it meets international standards. This will provide high-quality data and serve development planning.
“We believe that data is more than just numbers, as behind every number is a person, a story, and a dream. Let me emphasise this again: Together, we are not just counting people, we are focusing on their lives and aiming to build the better future we all envision,” Dr Kadyrov said.
The launch aimed to accelerate preparations for the census, ahead of the fieldwork and enumeration in October.
With close guidance from the government and technical support from UNFPA and development partners, the Lao Statistics Bureau has been preparing for the 5th Census since 2021.
The census will provide a comprehensive overview of the country’s vulnerable populations, including people with functional difficulties or disabilities, migrants, stateless persons, and gender disparities. This critical data will enable the government to design evidence-based policies that align with current realities and the evolving needs of the present and future generations. - Vientiane Times/ANN
