Director General of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Sisomboun Ounavong, and the Chief Representative of the JICA Laos Office, Toshio Nagase, sign a grant agreement in Vientiane on Dec 26, 2023. - VT
VIENTIANE: The government of Japan will provide a grant of US$29.3 million (4.1 billion Japanese yen) to finance the renovation of the Chao Anouvong stadium in Vientiane.
The stadium will be rebuilt and equipped with modern facilities and equipment. Work will begin from 2024 and is scheduled for completion in September 2026.
Director General of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Sisomboun Ounavong, and the Chief Representative of the JICA Laos Office, Mr Toshio Nagase, sign a grant agreement in Vientiane on Tuesday.
An agreement on the provision of the grant was signed by the Director General of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Sisomboun Ounavong, and the Chief Representative of the JICA Laos Office, Toshio Nagase.
Sisomboun said “This project aligns with the goals of the government’s 9th five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) for 2021-2025.”
“It will also help us to complete unfinished Millennium Development Goals as specified in the NSEDP, and supports our education development policy.”
“The aim of the renovation is to encourage greater use of the Chao Anouvong stadium by athletes and a wide range of citizens by improving its facilities. It will be rebuilt in a barrier-free design, while safety will also be improved through rebuilding of the stadium and its ancillary facilities and the installation of new equipment.”
“This will help to reduce social disparities by encouraging the participation of people with disabilities in sports and cultural activities. It will also be an improvement to the general urban environment in Vientiane,” Sisomboun said.
Official Development Assistance from Japan is one of the main forms of assistance given to Laos along with other forms of bilateral cooperation supported by development partners, she added.
Japan’s grant support is a welcome contribution to the development of education and sports in Laos. The education and sports sector is undergoing continuous improvement. Government staff are learning more and more from Japan and are able to apply most of the lessons learnt to the rollout of programmes in their workplaces.
The project is a sizeable contribution to the longstanding friendly relations between Laos and Japan, Sisomboun said.
She thanked the government and people of Japan for their valuable assistance and continued support to Laos for the success of the National Socio-Economic Development Plan, especially in the development of human resources and training.
Chief Representative of the JICA Laos Office, Toshio Nagase, said “Reconstruction of the Chao Anouvong stadium is of great significance in the development of education and sports in Laos.”
“The stadium has deteriorated badly and the safe and smooth operation of its facilities is becoming risky. This project aims to contribute to the enhancement of functions such as barrier-free facilities, improvement of the safety of facilities, the promotion of sports among top athletes including people with disabilities, the promotion of cultural projects through concerts and other events, and improvement of the urban environment,” he said.
“JICA has been cooperating in the development of sports by providing coaches for swimming, judo, and para-athletes. In the future, I hope that the stadium and the Lao-Japan Budo Centre, which is adjacent to the stadium, will be used more, not only for sports but also for cultural events.”
“To that end, JICA will continue to discuss with the Ministry of Education and Sports and other bodies in Laos how we can cooperate with other Japanese organisations, including the Japanese Embassy, as an all-Japan organisation,” he said.
Rebuilding of the stadium will begin after the signing of the grant agreement. It will be implemented by JICA and the Ministry of Education and Sports with the aim of encouraging greater use of the Chao Anouvong stadium by athletes and the general public in various ways, Nagase said. - Vientiane Times/ANN
