(VientianeTimes) The National Assembly (NA) has approved the appointment of Party Secretary General Choummaly Sayasone as President of Laos for a second term.

Confirmation of his appointment came during the opening ceremony of the First Session of the Seventh National Assembly in Vientiane yesterday. Meanwhile, Mr Bounnhang Vorachit was approved to serve as Vice President before the session approved the appointment of Ms Pany Yathortou as National Assembly President and Mr Thongsing Thammavong as Prime Minister of Laos.

Ms Pany and Mr Thongsing’s appointments as NA President and Prime Minister of Laos respectively were approved at the 10th Session of the Sixth National Assembly in December last year.

Mr Asang Laoly, Dr Thongloun Sisoulith, Lieutenant General Douangchay Phichit and Mr Somsavat Lengsavad remain Deputy Prime Ministers.

Dr Thongloun and Mr Douangchay also remain Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Defence respectively.
Some changes were made to the structure of the National Assembly and executive body to facilitate national development and poverty reduction over the next five years.

The government structure comprises 18 ministries and three ministry-equivalent organisations - the Bank of the Lao PDR, Government Inspection Authority, and the Government’s Office.

The government mostly maintained the existing ministries but established four more by merging organisations into ministries that have similar work.

The new ministries are the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Ministry of Post, Telecoms and Communication.

The Lao National Tourism Administration has been amalgamated with the Ministry of Information and Culture, which is now the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.

The National Sports Committee has merged with the Ministry of Education to form the Ministry of Education and Sports.
Prime Minister Thongsing vowed to focus more on the development of the socio-cultural sector by placing education and human resource development at the core.

“We will try to realise the Millennium Development Goals by improving ways of working and by launching breakthrough approaches whilst also focusing on the fight against corruption.”

He said the government would also focus on enhancing its capacity to manage the national economy by implementing stricter financial principles as a way to reduce inflation.

The government would pay more attention to Asean integration and implementing Laos’ obligations under international conventions, he added.

Concerning the structure of the National Assembly, Dr Xaysomphone Phomvihane and Mr Somphan Phengkhammy were approved to serve as its Vice Presidents for the five year term.

The NA has six committees relating to law; economics, planning and finance; cultural and social affairs; ethnic affairs; national defence and security; and foreign relations.

Ms Pany committed to working harder to enhance the role of the NA in addressing the fundamental issues of the nation as well as overseeing the performance of the executive body and judiciary organ.

Ms Pany is also President of the International Parliamentary Committee of the NA.

Concerning the judiciary, the session approved the appointment of Mr Khamphanh Sitthidampha to serve as President of the People’s Supreme Court and Mr Khamsan Souvong as President of the Public Prosecutor Office.

The government bodies are:
1. Government’s Office
2. Ministry of National Defence
3. Ministry of Public Security
4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
5. Ministry of Justice
6. Ministry of Home Affairs (new ministry)
7. Government Inspection Authority
8. Ministry of Education and Sports
9. Ministry of Health
10. Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism
11. Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare
12. Ministry of Planning and Investment
13. Ministry of Finance
14. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
15. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (new ministry)
16. Ministry of Energy and Mines
17. Ministry of Industry and Commerce
18. Ministry of Public Works and Transport
19. Ministry of Science and Technology (new ministry)
20. Ministry of Post, Telecoms and Communication (new ministry)
21. The Bank of the Lao PDR