Coordination Committee Meeting Strengthens Cooperation Between the Supreme People’s Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment

Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR, 16 January 2026 — The Department of Forestry and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Inspection (DNEI), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), together with the Department for Monitoring Criminal Proceedings and the Department for Monitoring Law Enforcement under the Supreme People’s Prosecutor’s Office (SPPO), convened a Coordination Committee Meeting to advance the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the SPPO and the MAE on 18 December 2025.

The meeting was held at the MAE Conference Hall and was co-chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somvang Phimmavong, Head of the Department of Forestry, Mr. Phaikham Vilaysouk, Head of the Department for Monitoring Criminal Proceedings, Mr. Vilasid Singkavongxay, Head of the Department for Monitoring Law Enforcement, and Ms. Bounnyaseng Saengkhammy, Deputy Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Inspection (DNEI).

Senior officials, deputy directors, division heads and technical staff from both institutions participated in the meeting, reflecting the strong commitment of both organizations to strengthening inter-agency cooperation in environmental and wildlife law enforcement.

The meeting reviewed the performance and achievements of the existing Coordination Committee and assessed the implementation of the previous Memorandum of Understanding signed on 5 April 2022. Participants also discussed the implementation framework for the new MoU signed on 18 December 2025, with the objective of further enhancing cooperation between the two institutions.

Key agenda items included the establishment of a new Coordination Committee and Secretariat, proposals to strengthen the leadership and operational structure of the Lao Wildlife Enforcement Network (LAO-WEN), and measures to improve coordination in enforcing the laws on wildlife, aquatic animals and forestry. The meeting also discussed the development of a national database on natural resource and environmental crimes, together with other criminal offences related to natural resource management, to strengthen intelligence, case management and inter-agency information sharing.

In addition, participants developed short-, medium- and long-term implementation plans to operationalize the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding and identified priority activities to further strengthen cooperation in environmental governance, criminal investigation, prosecution, and wildlife law enforcement.

The meeting concluded successfully after a half-day of constructive discussions, with participants reaching consensus on all major agenda items. The outcomes reaffirm the shared commitment of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Supreme People’s Prosecutor’s Office to strengthening institutional collaboration, improving the effectiveness of environmental and wildlife law enforcement, and supporting the rule of law and sustainable natural resource management in Lao PDR.

Source: OSPP