Vientiane: The second plenary session of the 12th Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party concluded successfully on March 5, 2026. Members reviewed key policy directions and adopted several important documents to guide national development and Party work.

According to Lao News Agency, the meeting saw the Party Central Committee members discussing issues with a high sense of responsibility, promoting democracy and collective decision-making before reaching consensus on major directives. The session approved the five-year work programme of the 12th Party Central Committee, which will serve as the guiding framework for the committee's activities throughout its term. This programme will also aid central and local sectors in formulating detailed action plans and priority work programmes.

Participants adopted revised working methods for the Party Central Committee, urging members to improve leadership styles, strengthen planning with clear objectives, and ensure an effective division of responsibilities. The session emphasized strict adherence to the principle of democratic centralism and collective leadership while preventing arbitrary decision-making. Additionally, the meeting provided guidance for implementing the 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan, which the government will submit to the National Assembly of Laos for approval to ensure effective implementation.

The session clarified the roles and responsibilities between Provincial Party Secretaries and heads of provincial administrations, and between district Party secretaries and district administrative authorities. This aims to enhance coordination, promote transparency, and ensure effective oversight of government work at the local level. Local authorities were instructed to accelerate the establishment of sub-district administrative units (tasaeng) nationwide, with completion expected by mid-2027, to strengthen governance and ensure Party and State policies reach grassroots communities.

The session also emphasized strengthening research and policy institutions' roles, including the National Academy of Politics and Public Administration and the National University of Laos, in supporting policy research and strategic planning. The meeting also saw adjustments and assignments of responsibilities among members of the Politburo, the Party Central Committee Secretariat, and Central Committee members to oversee work in key sectors and localities, in line with the needs of the new political period.

On the occasion, Thongloun Sisoulith, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee, urged members to accelerate the implementation of the resolution of the 12th Party Congress and ensure effective preparation for the inaugural sessions of the 10th National Assembly and the 5th Provincial People's Councils. He also called for continued reforms to streamline the government apparatus, enhance decentralization, and improve administrative efficiency.

The General Secretary further emphasized the importance of strengthening foreign affairs work as the country prepares to graduate from least developed country status and faces an increasingly complex regional and global environment. He expressed confidence that members of the Party Central Committee will continue to uphold the Party's revolutionary spirit and work together to effectively implement the resolution of the 12th Party Congress.