Vice President Cox congratulates the people of Lao PDR on development success
VIENTIANE, June 27, 2012 – Pamela Cox, the World Bank’s Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific, today congratulated Lao PDR for its strong economic growth and poverty reduction. Ms. Cox was speaking on her first visit to Lao PDR since her appointment in January 2012. Ms. Cox, a development professional with more than 30 years of global experience, met with the Prime Minister, senior Government Ministers, development partners, the private sector, civil society representatives and the media.
Ms. Cox thanked Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong for the strong partnership with the World Bank and congratulated him on the country’s remarkable progress.
“Lao PDR is a development success story with sustained economic growth and poverty reduction over the past decade thanks to a boom in natural resources and foreign investment. Moving forward, continued good management of these resources and sharing the benefits with all citizens is critical,” said Ms. Cox. “The World Bank has built a fruitful partnership with the Government of Lao PDR over the past 50 years and we stand committed to further help strengthen the country’s institutions for sustainable and inclusive development," Ms. Cox said.
The new Country Partnership Strategy for 2012-2016 between the Government of Lao PDR and the World Bank Group supports the implementation of the Government’s Seventh five year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (7th NSEDP).
The Country Partnership Strategy focuses on important building blocks driving development in an inclusive and sustainable way. The strategy aims to: enhance economic competitiveness and connectivity, strengthen sustainable natural resource management, and promote inclusive development, with a cross-cutting theme of stronger public sector management.
During her mission, Ms. Cox also visited the Nam Theun 2 (NT2) hydropower project site in Nakai, Khammouane province, which was built with the support of the World Bank Group. She met with local authorities and project beneficiaries.
“The Nam Theun 2 Project has been transformative for Lao PDR. It is helping to overcome poverty and deliver benefits to the people including better education, health and environmental services. said Ms. Cox. “Lao PDR and its partners have demonstrated how to develop hydropower in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable way that benefits the people.”
Ms. Cox previously worked as Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean Region of the World Bank, playing a leading role in supporting inclusive growth in emerging economies, providing innovative and practical financial and knowledge services to meet developing country needs.
As Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific, Ms. Cox manages over 1,000 staff working across 22 countries and in Washington DC, and a portoflio of approximately US$ 30 billion in projects.
