Japan Provides 2.9 million USD in Grant for Human Resource Development

On June 22, 2017, the E/N signing ceremony was held for a Grant Aid Project, and Notes were signed and exchanged by H.E. Mr. Takeshi Hikihara, Ambassador of Japan to the Lao PDR, and H.E. Ms. Khamphao Ernthavanh, Deputy-Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vientiane Capital.  Japan will extend to the Lao PDR 321 million Japanese yen, equivalent to about 2.9 million US dollars for the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship.

In his remarks, Ambassador Hikihara emphasized the importance of human resource development for nation-building. He renewed Japan’s commitment to the sustainable development of the Lao PDR according to “The Japan-Lao PDR Joint Development Cooperation Plan for the Sustainable Development of Lao PDR”, which was jointly announced last year by H.E. Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of Lao PDR and Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan.

The project awards scholarships to those who are engaged in socio-economic development in the Lao PDR to study at a graduate school in Japan for advanced learning and research.  Since JFY 1999 when the program started, this program has sponsored 334 Lao citizens to study in Japan.  This year, 20 such scholarship students are expected.