Laos

French presence

French community on the consular register in Laos: 2098 people (2025)

Visits

President François Hollande visited Laos in 2012 for the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit. The Minister Delegate for Francophonie, Yamina Benguigui, visited Laos in October 2013.

The President of Laos, Choummaly Sayasone, visited France in 2013. The Vice-President, Phankam Wiphavanh, visited Paris in November 2018 for the celebration of the Centenary of the First World War Armistice and the Paris Peace Forum. In December 2019, the Foreign Minister, Saleumxay Kommasith, made a visit to France and was received by his counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, for a meeting. They discussed prospects for the deepening of economic cooperation, including in the fields of aeronautics and hydroelectric energy, where French actors are contributing to a safe and sustainable development model. For example, the Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric dam, of which EDF is the lead shareholder, illustrates France’s desire to consolidate an innovative renewable energy partnership. In October 2024, President Thongloun Sisoulith visited France for the 19^th Francophonie Summit in Villers-Cotterêts and met with his counterpart to discuss subjects including Francophonie, bilateral economic relations and global affairs.

Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation

France is attentive to the requests of the Lao authorities in terms of support for its development, with three priorities: sustainable agriculture, heritage and education. Outside these sectors, there is active cooperation in governance (justice and civil society), as well as concerning Francophonie, health and culture.

Cooperation is implemented by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD, French Development Agency), the Institut Français, the Lycée Josué Hoffet school, the French School of Asian Studies (EFEO), the Research Institute for Development (IRD) and the Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD). Four technical experts have been posted to Laos: to the Pasteur Institute of Laos, the Ministry of Health, the Mekong River Commission Secretariat and the Ministry of Education and Sports. Over 30 years, France has implemented €300 million in cooperation projects in Laos through the AFD.

French cooperation has been particularly instrumental in preserving heritage, contributing to the UNESCO World Heritage status of the old town of Luang Prabang in 1995, the Vat Phou-Champasak site in 2001, and the megalithic sites in Xiengkhuang in 2019.

The cooperation between France and Laos is marked by the great variety of activities undertaken by more than 80 French NGOs, as well as around 10 academic cooperation programmes and hospital cooperation schemes.

France also supports civil society in Laos, fostering projects led by local non-profit organizations in the health, education, disabilities, ecotourism, rural development and women’s rights sectors.

Lastly, there is long-standing decentralized cooperation between the two countries. This is focused on the heritage and urban development sectors (particularly in Luang Prabang), water supplies and sanitation (including in Vientiane) and sustainable tourism (especially in Khammouane province).