( KPL- 17.11.09 ) The Japanese government has committed to providing 139 billion kip (US dollars 16.2 million) for the Lao PDR for afforestation.
The statement was made by the Spokesman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Kazuo Kadama, during his courtesy visit to Lao Prime Minister, Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh in Vientiane Capital on 7 November.
In addition to the assistance from the Japanese government, a Japanese international organisation Worldwide Support for Development has given 8.5 billion kip (USD 1 million) for such a move in the Lao PDR.
Mr. Kazuo informed the Lao Prime Minister that the Japanese government had an interest in forest protection in the Lao PDR because most of the Mekong River’s tributaries were in Laos and these natural resources drained their water to the Mekong River. Mr. Kazuo also said that there was an urgent need to prevent further deforestation in Laos.
The Japanese guest also expressed his government’s commitment to supporting Laos’s application for membership of the World Trade Organisation.
Mr. Bouasone Bouphavanh assured the Japanese guest that the Lao government was doing all it could to increase the forested area in the country so that it covered 70 per cent of the country’s land by 2015, a huge increase from the present forest coverage of 37 per cent.
KPL Lao News Agency
