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Japan helps Laos, Myanmar develop infrastructure

Japan has pledged a number of aid packages to support Laos and Myanmar with infrastructure-building projects.
Japan has pledged a number of aid packages to support Laos and Myanmar with infrastructure-building projects.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on December 15 announced that his countrywill provide Laos with an aid package worth 10.46 JPY (over 100million USD) to help the Southeast Asian nation expand the internationalairport terminal in Vientiane, and another project on povertyreduction.

It also partly helps in a bridgeconstruction initiative in the southern part of Laos, the Japan’sForeign Ministry was quoted by news agencies as saying.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Lao counterpart ThongsingThammavong agreed to launch official consultations to conclude anaviation pact that will pave the way for direct flights to furtherembrace bilateral economic ties.

The same day,Japan secured fresh aid worth about 63 billion JPY (around 610 millionUSD) to Myanmar. The loans are designed to help build infrastructurefor the Thilawa Special Economic Zone in the suburbs of Yangon, andupgrade a railway network in the country, among other projects.

PM Abe said at a joint press conference with President of Myanmar UThein Sein in Tokyo that Japan will continue to provide support,both at the public and private level, for infrastructure buildinginitiatives and work toward Myanmar’s development.-VNA
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