Laos Foreign Policy Statement

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Madame/Mr. President, delegates and distinguished guests,

The delegation of Laos is honored to participate in this year’s meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Laos understands the grave importance of these issues and is dedicated to finding constructive solutions to better the future state of the nations of our world.

On the issue of international kidnapping, Laos is aware that kidnapping has arisen as a major problem and would like to note this is a serious issue in Indochina. Recently, Vietnamese women have been kidnapped by Chinese gangs and trafficked back to China for sale as brides. Laos fears for the protection of its citizens, namely the women of Laos, in the event that these Chinese gangs were to move forth into Laos. The fact Laos shares a border with both Vietnam and China, gives Laos greater reason to fear. Further, Laos’s southwestern neighbour Thailand houses a multi-billion dollar multi-national sex industry, which kidnaps and traffics young girls. The women of Laos have already felt some minor effects of these illicit businesses, and the impact of these crimes is expanding rapidly throughout Laos. Therefore, Laos strongly supports the strengthening of the UN’s provisions on international kidnapping and human trafficking.

Concerning immigrants rights, Laos is affected very little by the entry of illegal immigrants into the country due to our tight immigration system, and Australia’s strong aid in protecting the Laos border. In addition, Laos receives substantial support from the entirety of the ASEAN, as well as most European nations in enforcing Laotian immigration. Thus, Laos has little opinion on the issues of immigration and is not affected by the repercussions of the current immigration problems in Europe.

On the issue of the rights of foreign workers, Laos feels the rights of all its workers are adequate and uniform. However, currently there is a major problem with immigrant workers taking jobs from Laotian workers, which is severely hurting the Laotian economy. Laos has no intention to remove these workers, as is being done in Europe, Laos would simply like to reform the rights of Laotian workers to have precedence over foreign workers. Therefore, Laos is opposed to the strengthening of the rights of foreign workers.

Laos feels the issues of international kidnapping, immigrants rights, and the rights of foreign workers are currently extremely important to all regions of the world, not merely Europe, the Middle East and Africa, that are dominating the headlines. Laos hopes the UN takes into consideration the effect of these problems on Indochina and takes serious action towards global reform regarding these issues.