Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Technical Cooperation between the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of the Lao PDR, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency (LuxDev), and ILSTA.

ILSTA is delighted to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Technical Cooperation on July 16, 2024, between the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of the Lao PDR, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency (LuxDev), and ILSTA.
The signatories to the MoU were His Excellency Mr. Phoukhong Sisoulath, Director General of the Department of Treaty and Law of MoFA; Mr. Robert de Waha, Regional Resident Representative of LuxDev; and Mr. Richard Philippart, President and Director General of ILSTA.
Among the esteemed guests who witnessed the signing ceremony were His Excellency Thongphane Savanphet, Deputy-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, and His Excellency Mr. Thomas Lammar, Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Luxembourg in the Lao PDR.
The MoU aims to strengthen cooperation in critical areas such as technical assistance, capacity building in international law and international human rights law, and English-for-legal-purpose training. Specific areas of cooperation include:
1. Treaties on penal matters, including transnational organized crime, trafficking in persons, money laundering and terrorism financing, trafficking in drugs, firearms, wildlife, cybercrime, and other new forms of transnational crime.
2. Treaties on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, extradition, and transfer of sentenced persons.
3. International human rights instruments to which the Lao PDR is a party.
ILSTA is honored to partner with MoFA and LuxDev in this initiative, which marks a significant step forward in collaboration. The MoU will equip Lao authorities with the necessary knowledge and skills to fulfill their international legal obligations, thereby positively impacting the legal and human rights framework of the Lao PDR.
ILSTA looks forward to a successful collaboration of this partnership.