Eighth Joint Working Group Meeting of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation on Poverty Reduction Convened Successfully in Vientiane Laos

The Eighth Joint Working Group Meeting of the Lancang–Mekong Cooperation (LMC) on Poverty Reduction was held between January 14-16, 2025 in Vientiane, Laos. Hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, the event consists of a workshop on East Asia Poverty Reduction Cooperation Pilot Project, the joint working group meeting of LMC and a field visit. International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC), headed by its Deputy Director General Li Xin, attended the event.

At the workshop on East Asia Poverty Reduction Cooperation Pilot Project held on January 14, representatives from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar respectively reviewed the implementation of the Phase I Project in their countries and its positive impact on poverty reduction and rural development. They concluded that the Project has greatly improved the production and living conditions of the project villages, effectively strengthened the self-development capacity of the project villages, greatly increased the economic income of the villagers and significantly improved the development environment. Deputy Director Li, on behalf of IPRCC which is also the feasibility study agency for Phase II Project, exchanged her insights on the implementation of Phase I Project as well as the preparation of Phase II Project in each country .

At the LMC joint working group meeting held on January 15th, nearly 40 representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, the Ministry of Rural Development of Cambodia, the Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development of Myanmar, the Ministry of Interior of Thailand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, Lao-China Cooperation Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos, the Embassy of China in Laos attended the meeting together with IPRCC.

Addressed on behalf of the IPRCC, Li reviewed the progress made through LMC in the past eight years. She acknowledged the role of the joint work group in promoting knowledge-sharing on development, enhancing rural governance and facilitating the implementation of more cooperation projects for more fruitful results.