President Appoints Committee to Drive Digitalization Process

Source: Vientiane Times

President Thongloun Sisoulith has appointed 22 senior government officials as members of a National Committee on Digital Transformation, in a bid to spur Laos’ social and economic development.

The Prime Minister has been appointed chairman of the committee while the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs will be vice chairmen.

The Minister of Technology and Communications will be the third vice chairman and an acting member of the committee, according to a 3-page Presidential Decree signed by President Thongloun on June 2.

Top government officials from the relevant sectors were appointed as committee members.

The committee will formulate policies, strategies, plans, and mechanisms as well as supervise the implementation of digitalization reform at the central and local levels. Three digital pillars will be formed – digital economy, government, and community – to drive the country’s socio-economic development.

The committee will supervise and monitor the implementation of national strategies, policies, action plans, and projects to bring about digital transformation.

To accomplish these objectives, the government has created and is working to fulfill the National Digital Economic Development Vision for 2021-2040, the National Digital Economic Development Strategy for 2021-2030, and the National Digital Economic Development Plan for 2021-2025. 

The National Committee on Digital Transformation has been instructed to push for the implementation of national strategies, policies, action plans and projects to achieve digital transformation as well as review the achievements made in various sectors over different periods of time.

Speaking at a high-level meeting in Vientiane at the end of last year, President Thongloun stressed the need for Laos to expedite digital transformation to bolster socio-economic development. 

Without digital transformation, the development process would be delayed, he said, and the country would lose the opportunity to advance its economy as the rest of the world is moving towards the fourth industrial revolution.

“This means we need to make a strong determination to digitalize the economy and boost growth,” he said.

He added that it was essential for authorities to digitalize key sectors such as agriculture, trade, banking, tourism, and finance.

It is also vital to attract more investment from private companies to help speed up digital transformation in Laos, enabling the country to integrate with the rest of the world, the President said.