General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith addresses the congress in Vientiane on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE — The 12th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) opened in Vientiane on Tuesday morning, with the participation of 834 delegates representing 421,865 Party members nationwide, along with 388 invited guests.

In his opening speech, General Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith stressed that the congress will review and assess the implementation of the Resolution of the 11th edition, while setting out orientations, policies and plans for Party and national affairs in the coming period. It will also define a long-term vision to deepen the Party’s renewal policy.

Expressing pride and delight at the significant achievements Laos has recorded over the five decades of national construction, protection and development, as well as during the five years of implementing the Resolution of the 11th National Party Congress, the Lao leader highlighted the continued effective implementation of comprehensive, people-based national defence and security policies.

These efforts have helped maintain political stability and social order, while the economy, despite facing many difficulties, has continued to grow. He also underlined that the Lao people of all ethnic groups remain united and maintain firm confidence in the Party’s leadership.

The Lao Party chief noted that the 12th congress is held at a time when the world is undergoing profound changes in many fields, particularly the rapid development of science and technology, which creates new drivers for development but also poses numerous challenges for Laos.

Against this backdrop and new requirements of the revolutionary cause, the 12th congress will discuss and adopt the Party’s third Political Platform, affirming Laos’ development goals and path through 2055, and improving the people’s democratic regime to advance toward the ultimate objectives of the revolution.

At the congress, delegates are set to also deliberate and approve the draft political report and the draft 10th national five-year socio-economic development plan.

They will review the implementation of the Resolution of the 11th congress and the 9th five-year socio-economic development plan, while setting out orientations, policies and visions toward 2055, along with the ten-year development strategy for 2026-35 and the five-year socio-economic development plan for 2026-30, aimed at implementing the LPRP’s Political Platform.

In addition, the congress will discuss and approve the draft amended Party Statutes. — VNA/VNS