Opening Ceremony of “Effective Public Speaking and Negotiation Skills” Training
Wednesday 4th September 2019, from 10.00 am, at Laos-Singapore Cooperation Centre
Deliver by HE Mr Jean-Bernard Carrasco, Australian Ambassador to Lao PDR
HE Mme Sounthone Xayachack, Head of Committee for External Relations of the Party Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party
HE Ms Leow Siu Lin, Ambassador of Singapore to the Lao PDR
Our participants from KM6 who will be undertaking the training,
Ladies and gentlemen – Sabaidee!
- Today, it is my great pleasure, on behalf of the Australian Government, to join the Head of Committee for External Relations of the Party Central Committee and the Singaporean Ambassador-Designate to open the first training course on ‘Effective Public Speaking and Negotiation Skills’ supported by the Australian and Singaporean Embassies.
- Australian has had long-standing development cooperation engagement in Lao PDR. One of our key priorities is investing in human resource development to ensure Lao PDR has skills and knowledge it needs for social and economic development.
- This training was initiated after a special request from Mme Sounthone, who had the foresight to identify English language skills as a core capacity for staff working at the Party headquarters.
- We also hope this training course continues to strengthen Australia relationship with the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party. This builds off Australia’s long-standing friendship with Laos, including our diplomatic ties, which celebrate 67 years this year.
- As a member of ASEAN, and increasingly active on the international stage, Lao PDR has recognised the need to have English language capabilities by its officials. This was firmly committed to in the 8th National Social and Economic Development Plan.
- Given ASEAN and Laos’ commitments to English language proficiency, it is a fitting to be able to work in partnership with another ASEAN member – Singapore - in delivering this training program.
- Australia and Singapore have a long and deep relationship, best reflected in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed in 2016. This Training is a small but significant demonstration of two friendly countries working together to support Lao PDR’s development.
- I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you all about the Australian Awards scholarships we offer each year. Over the past decades years, over 1,300 Lao students have been supported to undertake tertiary study in Australia, and have since returned to contribute their new skills, knowledge and ideas to development of social and economic in Lao PDR. For more information please follow the Australia in Laos Facebook page. We would be thrilled to see more Party members participate in this opportunity in the future.
- Finally, I would like to thank everyone that has been involved in organising the training and today’s opening ceremony. Thank you especially to Mme Sounthone, Ambassador Siu Lin, colleagues from the Laos-Australia Institute and all participants for your participation and collaboration.
- In fact, Mme Sounthone has long been an advocate for training needs for her staff. While she was the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs’ she raised with Australia the need for international diplomacy training at the Ministry. I am pleased to inform Mme Southone today, that later this year Australia will deliver an International Policy and Tradecraft and In-depth Policy-Making Programs training for Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials.
- I wish everyone participating in the course the very best of luck.
- Kob chai lay lay