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Laos striving to promote information and communication sector

Xinhua, November 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Laos will make efforts to further develop Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to increase broadband coverage, officials said Wednesday.

The country launched its first White Book on Information and Communication Technology during a forum on Lao National Broadband held in capital Vientiane.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Post and Telecommunications Thansamay Kommasith said ICT is an important tool for regional socio-economic integration. ICT is becoming a part of Lao people's daily life.

Laos expects to further develop ICT sector, thus creating better connectivity to ensure that broadband coverage will reach 90 percent of all villages nationwide by 2020, he said, adding the country will continue promoting ICT and calls for cooperation with stakeholders to boost economic development.

Jin Yuzhi, Vice President of Huawei Southeast Asia Region, said at the forum that there is a big gap in level of informatization among countries in Asia-Pacific region. While the broadband penetration in Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore has reached 95 percent of households, that level in countries such as Myanmar, Bangladesh, Laos, Cambodia is even lower than five percent.

In Laos, it is necessary to strengthen government guidance and policies, speed up infrastructure construction and enhance inter-connectivity with other countries. With a population of more than 6.5 million people and some 61.4 percent of them young adults, Laos has a huge potential for broadband development, Jin said.

The White Book on 10-year plan of Lao National ICT provides recommendations for ICT development in Laos, including strengthening coordination, facilitating the operation of operators, investors and construction entities, among others.

The launching of the ICT White Book and broadband forum drew the participation of representatives from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's ICT giant Huawei, as well as ICT operators from Laos and Thailand. Endit