Vientiane: Finance Minister, Mr. Santiphab Phomvihane, along with development partners, visited Champassak province to observe the field data collection process for the 5th Population and Housing Census (PHC). This visit aimed to encourage and express appreciation to those involved in the country's first-ever digital census.

According to Lao News Agency, the delegation, which included Mrs. Phetsamone Sone from the Lao Statistics Bureau, Dr. Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, UNFPA Representative, and Mrs. Megan Jones, Australian Ambassador to the Lao PDR, met with local authorities to discuss the progress and challenges of the census. The Champassak Steering Committee reported significant progress, with 99% of the enumeration areas completed.

The delegation also visited Pakson village in Sanasomboun district and Dong Ka Loung village in Pakse district to observe the data collection process and discuss ways to ensure the census meets its targets. This initiative is part of a nationwide effort that began on November 3, 2025, and is expected to conclude by December 28, 2025.

Mr. Santiphab stressed the importance of completing the census, highlighting its role in informing future policy and development planning. Dr. Kadyrov noted the significance of the digital census in strengthening national data systems and advancing digital transformation.

Ambassador Jones expressed pride in supporting the digital census, emphasizing its role in providing high-quality data for governance and development planning, particularly in the education and health sectors.