Singapore reaffirmed its 20-year training partnership with Laos, exploring new areas including sustainability, digitalisation and leadership development.
Singapore officials met with H.E. Vilayvanh Boutdakham, Vice President of Laos’ Central Committee for Organisation and Personnel (CCOP), to discuss the Singapore-Laos partnership on human resource development. Following administrative reorganisation in Lao PDR last year, CCOP now oversees the training and professional development of all State, Party and Government officials.
Under the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), Singapore has provided dedicated English language courses to senior Lao officials for over 20 years. Building on this foundation, an inaugural training programme in leadership and governance was launched last June, an initiative first proposed by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during his bilateral official visit to Laos in 2024.
The partnership is also expanding into new and emerging areas, including sustainability, renewable energy, digitalisation, and international aviation law, reflecting Laos’ evolving development priorities alongside Singapore’s areas of expertise.
During the meeting, H.E. Vilayvanh reaffirmed Laos’ continued interest and commitment to the development partnership. Singapore officials noted that as Laos progresses in its development journey, the partnership must similarly evolve to remain relevant, with both sides committed to adapting their cooperation over time.
Notably, H.E. Vilayvanh is himself an SCP alumnus, and was invited to visit Singapore again at a time of his convenience, underscoring the personal and institutional continuity of the longstanding partnership between the two countries.
Source: Singapore Embassy in Vientiane
