Laos is getting a handle on its debt

Controls on borrowing to be tightened and revenue collection improved

Soulivath Souvannachoumkham and Emma Veve

January 15, 2024 17:24 JST

Patuxai monument in Vientiane: Between 2017 and 2022, the volume of public and publicly guaranteed debt in Laos rose to 112% of GDP from 52%. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

Soulivath Souvannachoumkham is director general of the public debt management department of the Ministry of Finance of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Emma Veve is deputy director general of the Asian Development Bank's Southeast Asian department.