Laos: LPRP convenes 10th National Congress

Vientiane (VNA) – The 10th National Party Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) kicked off in Vientiane on January 18, attended by 685 delegates from 18 cities and provinces across the country.

The 10th National Party Congress is an important historical political event, and a turning point marking the strong development of the LPRP in both quantity and quality.

During the event, delegates will focus on discussing and approving the Party Central Committee’s Political Report, and the eighth five-year socio-economic development plan for 2016-2020, which aims to make the country rise out of the underdeveloped status by 2020 with an average GDP growth rate of 7.5 percent a year.

Under the plan, Laos will also adjust its economic structure in conformity with development conditions of each region and in line with sustainable poverty reduction, while upgrading infrastructure and improving human resources toward industrialisation and modernisation.

At the event, delegates are also expected to adopt the amended Party Statute and elect members for the LPRP Central Committee’s next tenure.

Under the leadership of the LPRP, Laos has maintained political security, social order and safety. Per capita income reached 1,970 USD a year, 16 times higher than that of 1985, while the poverty rate fell to 6.59 percent and 89 percent of households nationwide gained access to the national grid.

The 10th National Party Congress will last until January 22.-VNA