Germany has pledged to provide further financial support to Laos aimed at its rural and economic development with the funding worth 323 billion kip or 32.2 million Euro, according to the Laos news agency, KPL.

In broad terms, the funding will go towards microfinance services in rural areas of Laos , support for regional economic integration in ASEAN, rural development and natural resource management.

The money will be spent across nine projects related to climate change adaption, forest and biodiversity protection, strengthening regulations in the timber industry, vocational schools, capacity building in the National Assembly and support for sustainable mining.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Mr Somchith Inthamith, and German Ambassador to Laos , Mr Robert von Rimscha, signed the agreement to this effect in Vientiane on July 5.

Of the nine projects, eight projects would be carried out by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), with the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources to be responsible for the rest.-VNA