Our Scans · Laos · Weekly Summary

• [New] Institut Pasteur du Laos conducts nationwide dengue surveillance, genetic analysis of circulating strains, and entomological monitoring of Aedes mosquitoes, including the impact of climate change on transmission risk. Pasteur Network
• [New] ASEAN member states - particularly Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar - face significant capacity gaps that could widen digital inequality even as regional frameworks advance. KBA13 INSIGHT
• [New] Vietnam is worried that upstream hydropower dams in China and Laos - largely controlled by China - threaten the Mekong River's flow and sediment levels. Belfer Center
• Specialist cave divers racing to rescue a group of villagers trapped in a flooded cave in a remote part of Laos say they are cautiously optimistic that the stranded men could soon be brought to safety. CNN
• The Mekong governance environment will produce signals worth tracking as the Laos-China railway enters its second full year of operation and economic data begin to emerge. KBA13 INSIGHT
• Financial inclusion remains one of the most critical challenges and opportunities for Laos. The Fintech Times
• Digital economic transformation in Laos has been guided by broader government strategies, including the National Digital Economy Strategy (2021-2030), which has gained momentum up until present. The Fintech Times
• South Korea will continue to support Laos by launching a new US$ 1 million (RM4 million) project to promote environmental conservation, research, and ecotourism. Bernama
• Vietnam plans to import more electricity from Laos to prevent potential power shortages. Bernama
• Cure Blindness Project and The Fred Hollows Foundation announced a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the elimination of avoidable blindness in Rwanda and Laos by 2035, while addressing cataract backlogs in additional countries. PentaVision
• The Central African Republic, Nigeria, South Sudan, Laos, and Brazil are predicted to see the most significant increases in dangerously hot temperatures, while the largest affected populations will be in India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Oxford University
• Landlocked Laos will gain direct access to a major port as a new 562 km standard-gauge railway in the Laotian capital (Vientiane) will connect with the Vung Ang deep water port on the coast of Vietnam. OIA Global
• The Middle East war poses a greater risk to Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and to a lesser extent Laos, due to their high dependence on imported energy and limited reserve supplies. Newswire
• Projected growth in Cambodia will fall from 4.8 to 3.9%, while Laos will see a slowdown from 4.5% last year to 3.5% in 2026. The Diplomat

Last updated: 19 June 2026