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President Kitaoka (left) and President Sengdeuane

On July 26, JICA President KITAOKA Shinichi held talks with H.E. Mrs. Sengdeuane Lachanthaboune, President of the Lao National Olympic Committee/Lao National Paralympic Committee, at JICA headquarters. JICA has been engaged in the human resource development of athletes in Laos through Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) and the Grassroots Technical Cooperation Projects. Five Lao athletes who received training through these cooperation will participate in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics 2020.

At the outset of the talks, President Kitaoka stated that Laos was the first country in the world that JICA dispatched JOCV in 1965 and marked its 55th anniversary last year. He noted that JOCV has greatly promoted mutual understanding between Laos and Japan. He also thanked President Sengdeuane for her long-standing dedication to the fields of education, sports, and education for people with disabilities, as well as for her support for JICA’s activities in her role as the Minister of Education and Sports until last year.

In response, President Sengdeuane offered her appreciation for JICA's contributions to the economic and social development of Laos, including education and sports, and expressed her hope for continued cooperation.

President Kitaoka also shared JICA’s efforts for the rule of law promotion, scholarship program, and “JICA Chair (JICA Program for Japanese Studies),” which leverages Japan’s experiences in modernization and development cooperation. The two further exchanged views on state-building and human resource development in Laos.

JICA continues to enhance the trusting relationship between the two countries by contributing to social and economic development in Laos through projects such as human resource development.