The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Xavier Bettel, is currently on a working visit to the People's Republic of Laos.
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Briefing
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( l. to r.) Claude Jentgen, Bilateral Cooperation Coordinator; Xavier Bettel, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs
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Group photo
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( l. to r.) Patrick Hemmer, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary with residence in Bangkok; Xavier Bettel, Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs; Robert De Waha, Regional Director of Lux-Development.
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(middle row, l. to r.) Xavier Bettel, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs; Baykham Khattiya, Laos Minister for Labour and Social Affairs
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Visit to a mine clearance site (UXO Lao)
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( l. to r.) Vice-President of the Hotel School; Xavier Bettel, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs
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Group photo - Visit to the Hotel School
The programme for the first two days included visits to a number of projects supported by the Luxembourg Cooperation. Accompanied by the Lao Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, Baykham Khattiya, Minister Bettel visited a mine clearance site in the Luang Prabang region where the Lao National Unexploded Ordnance (UXO Lao) organisation is clearing land of unexploded ordnance. Remnants of the Second Indochina War, almost a third of the bombs dropped in Laos failed to explode, so Laos remains the country most affected by unexploded ordnance in the world. In his discussions with the demining teams, Xavier Bettel expressed his respect and gratitude for the important work carried out by UXO Lao, which is essential for promoting the country's development and, above all, for preserving lives and preventing injuries.
In Vang Vieng, Minister Bettel also visited Luxembourg's local development and vocational training activities in the fields of tourism, agriculture and forestry, including the Vientiane Province Technical College and "The Academy" hotel school. In the presence of the Deputy Minister of Education and Sport of Laos, Sisouk Vongvichith, Xavier Bettel visited the premises and had the opportunity to talk to the project's beneficiaries and managers.
The programme was rounded off with a working dinner with the vice-governor of Luang Prabang province and a cultural visit to Luang Prabang.
Press release by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade