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Laos: PM Reaffirms No Log Exports Can Be Allowed

  • Mar 28, 2018

(KPL) Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith ordered cabinet members, Vientiane Mayor, provincial governors and relevant sectors to continue implementing in a stringent manner Prime Minister’s Order No 15, attaching attention to sustainable protection of forest resources, not allowing log exports, monitoring and punishing violators of the order.

At the first meeting between the government and provincial governors held on Mar 22-23 in Viengxay, Huaphan Province, cabinet members, Vientiane Mayor, and provincial governors noted that the implementation of Order No 15 especially its provisions on the reorganization of wood processing factory structure has made relatively good progress with 20 wood processing factories located in protection and protected areas closed and dismantled, as well as 1,186 sawmills.

They noted that the stringent implementation of the premier order over the past months has reaffirmed and obviously signified to violators the government’s intention to protect in sustainable manner valued forest and natural resources of the nation.

Though the implementation of the order has produced a good and decisive result, illegal timber export remains in some provinces and localities. Meanwhile, the reorganization of the structure of wood factories and sawmills has made slow progress.

Prime Minister Thongloun urged translating into actions the decisions made at the meeting and the priorities of 2018, continuing to attach importance to maintaining political stability, peace and order of the society to create favourable conditions for development, and to tackling and mitigating social ills especially drug abuse, robbery, burglary, house fires among others,.

He also urged the relevant sectors to continue to implement the socio-economic development plan and state budget plan as per the Prime Minister’s Decree No 397, dated Dec 26, 2017 to achieve set targets.

“The fact that we are behind the targets set for quarter 1 has urged the government as well as sectors and local authorities to make greater efforts and attach greater attention to the implementation of the plans set for quarters 2, 3 and 4 to make sure we exceed the plans,” said Prime Minister Thongloun.

Source: http://kpl.gov.la/En/Detail.aspx?id=32795