A delegation from Lao PDR, led by the Vice Minister of Planning, HE. Phonevanh Outhavong, and consisting of representatives of National Assembly, Prime Minister'sOffice, Foreign Affairs Ministry and line ministries and UNFPA Lao PDR, visited Cambodia from January 21-24, 2025.
The mission focused on learning from Cambodia's Ministry of Planning's experience in cross-sectoral and inter-ministerial coordination in population and development. A key area of interest was Cambodia's successful establishment of a Special Interministerial Committee for Accelerating the Implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD PoA). This committee has played a critical role in aligning national efforts with the sustainable development priorities, and regional and global commitments.
During their visit, the Lao delegation engaged in comprehensive discussions on key ICPD PoA priorities, including reproductive health, gender equality, youth empowerment, data-driven development planning, addressing gender-based violence, and maximizing the demographic dividend for resilience. These insights are expected to inform Lao PDR’s ongoing efforts to strengthen national population and development coordination mechanisms.
During the exchange, the Lao delegation expressed a strong interest in Cambodia's inter-ministerial Strategic Framework and Costed Action Plan for accelerating the implementation of the ICPD PoA from 2024 to 2030. In addition, the Lao delegation shared their own experience in developing a Demographic Dividend Roadmap and highlighted the progress made in following up on recommendations from the 2023 National Conference on Population and Development. Cambodia’s Ministry of Planning recognized and appreciated Lao PDR’s efforts, acknowledging the potential for future bilateral collaboration between the two countries to advance shared goals under the ICPD PoA.
The visit resulted in concrete follow-up actions aimed at strengthening collaboration between Cambodia and Lao PDR. A key step is exploring the possibility of a cooperation framework on South-South exchange, which would focus on demographic resilience and joint advocacy to accelerate the implementation of the ICPD PoA. Future exchanges could involve various sectors such as health, education, labor, social welfare, and statistics to further strengthen the ICPD agenda. Building on the success of the joint side event at the 57th session of the Global Commission on Population and Development back in 2024, Cambodia and Lao PDR can also explore the possibility of hosting more side events at both regional and global levels to share their best development practices. Furthermore, a mechanism for virtual collaboration between the planning ministries will be established to ensure continued follow-up and progress in sharing expertise and experiential knowledge.
To ensure continued progress, several recommendations were proposed, including expanding sectoral engagements through capacity-building and joint research, as well as supporting regular communication. The possibility should also be explored of establishing a national coordination committee on population and development in Lao PDR, alongside developing a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to track progress under the National Population and Development Policy (2019-2030). As Lao PDR moves forward with the establishment of its national coordination committee, this partnership will continue to play a key role in aligning policies and programs with global and regional priorities.
In addition to the exchange of best practices between the Ministry of Planning and Investment of Lao PDR and the Ministry of Planning of the Kingdom of Cambodia, as well as key sectors, this exchange represents a significant milestone in advancing regional partnerships and commitments under the ICPD PoA. In this respect, it is worth noting that future cooperation initiatives across key sectors will further support capacity-building and cross-border efforts to address common challenges, strengthen ASEAN regional integration, and contribute to sustainable development and shared prosperity. The shared commitment of Cambodia and Lao PDR to expand South-South cooperation initiatives marks a new chapter in strengthening connectivity, innovation, digitalization, and demographic resilience across the region.
