PRIME Minister Sonexay Siphandone held talks online with his Thai and Myanmar counterparts, General Prayut Chan-o-cha and Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, in a joint effort to address transboundary haze pollution, which has risen to dangerous levels in many parts of the three neighbouring countries.
The Lao premier proposed that the three parties draw up a joint action plan to tackle cross-border air pollution, according to a press release from the Lao Prime Minister’s Office.
In this regard, a working group should be formed to draw up the action plan and realise it, along with working out a coordination programme to address transboundary air pollution cause by agricultural burning.
The Lao leader also proposed creating cooperation mechanisms to exchange lessons learnt and best practices to be pursued by the three countries.
The three premiers agreed to work more closely with each other and with the seven other Asean member countries.
Sonexay was committed to working with Myanmar and Thailand to address transboundary haze in compliance with and realisation of the the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and Asean Regional Haze Action Plan.
The meeting noted that Laos, Thailand and Myanmar are all suffering from severe air pollution as a result of slash and burn cultivation, which has triggered forest fires and caused air pollution to worsen.
Sonexay alos thanked Prayut for initiating the tripartite talks. — Vientiane Times/ANN
