TOKYO -- Laotian leader Thongloun Sisoulith says his country is optimistic about its post-COVID recovery as technology rises to the occasion, but needs more help vaccinating its 7.1 million citizens.
Formerly the prime minister, Thongloun addressed Nikkei's Future of Asia conference for the first time as president, a post he took up in March. The two-day event is being held in Tokyo and online through Friday, with speakers including Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
Thongloun's appointment, two months after being named secretary-general of the Communist Party of Laos, came at a challenging time for the land-locked state.
Among the few countries not to record a COVID-19 fatality in 2020, Laos, like its neighbors Cambodia and Thailand, has experienced a recent surge in infections.
"Throughout the year 2020 we have had only 41 confirmed cases of infection and all 41 cases received full recovery, and with no fatality," Thongloun said.
"However, it is shocking that recently, the Lao PDR has experienced a spike of infected cases. As of today we have 1,751 total cases and two cases of death."
Although its case load remains relatively low, the country's fragile $18 billion economy is vulnerable. It contracted by 0.6% in 2020, according to the World Bank.
While its mainstay agriculture sector stayed resilient last year, growing by 2%, the absence of international visitors left a $500 million hole, while workers remittances, totaling about $100 million, were also hit.
The economic fallout contributed to Laos' growing debt problem, linked to massive loans secured to finance the construction of hydropower dams as part of plans to become a major energy exporter.
Already, the country has ceded control of its electricity grid to a Chinese company to stave off a potential default, Reuters reported last year.
The World Bank predicted Laos' gross domestic product would recover and grow by 4.9% in 2021 under its baseline scenario. But, noting the possibility of risks, such as an inability to control the domestic spread of COVID-19, it estimated just 2.8% under its downside scenario.
Thongloun unveiled a five-year plan in January that aims for annual economic growth of 4% and to improve infrastructure in the country, one of the poorest in the region.
In his speech, the Laotian leader said that the government had implemented "strict measures" to control the spread of the virus, and that he was optimistic that cooperation and technology would bring the pandemic to heel.
"Most importantly, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, as many countries are able to develop and produce the vaccines swiftly in many different types and brands," he said.
Laos has received shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine via the United Nations-backed COVAX program. It has also been given Sinopharm shots by China.
Thongloun said Laos was grateful for outside support for its vaccine rollout, which had seen about 10% of citizens inoculated, but more help was required.
"We still need to seek further support on this matter from our friends to continue to inoculate our populations," he said.
Day One of the Future of Asia conference featured current Malaysian leader Muhyiddin Yassin, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and others. Read our full wrap-up of the first day's speeches.