Vientiane, Feb 21 (IANS) Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has stressed the critical need for a more skilled workforce to support the country’s growing development.
At the annual meeting of the labour and social welfare sector, Sonexay highlighted significant gaps in workforce skills and called for improvements across all sectors to meet the demand of both domestic and international markets, according to Laos’ Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare on Friday.
Sonexay also emphasised the importance of establishing a labour market database to better balance supply and demand, and urged the strengthening of laws and regulations to create new jobs and foster social inclusion, Xinhua news agency reported.
During the meeting on Wednesday, Sonexay also called for a stronger social protection system, including more effective social insurance and welfare programs, particularly for disadvantaged groups and informal workers.
In 2024, the Lao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare has provided training to 34,324 individuals, including 15,015 women, and has helped 124,539 people secure employment in both domestic and foreign markets.
Meanwhile, Laos’ Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has decided to develop new management plans and revise laws to strengthen the protection of conservation areas.
The decision was made at a meeting of the ministry on Tuesday, which focused on addressing the unlawful use of land in the Phou Phanang National Conservation Area and Phou Khao Khouay National Biodiversity Conservation Area, a report from the ministry said on Friday.
During the meeting, presided over by Lao Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Linkham Douangsavanh, participants discussed issues such as illegal logging, crop cultivation, reckless burning of forests, and wildlife hunting.
The meeting also agreed on measures to improve forest management, protection, and sustainable use, aligning with the government’s green development goals.
In his speech, Linkham stressed the need to raise public awareness of forest conservation laws and ensure effective enforcement, urging collaboration among relevant sectors, local authorities, and park management teams to survey and re-demarcate forest boundaries in a bid to protect natural resources and prevent illegal activities.
–IANS
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