The Australian government will provide an estimated A$27.2 million (over 200 billion kip) in aid to Laos in the 2007-08 period.

The 2007-08 Budget, announced Tuesday night in Canberra, is a watershed for the Australian government's aid programme, and Australia's largest ever investment in reducing poverty...more info

In total, Australia will provide an estimated A$3.155 billion in official development assistance (ODA) in 2007-08, an increase over the 2006-07 budget of A$209 million.

ODA, managed by Australia 's overseas aid agency, AusAID, will increase by over 21.7 percent in real terms as the agency begins implementing major new initiatives announced in the budget.

Australian ODA to Laos will be used to further expand Australian engagement in improving the quality of, and access to, basic education. It will also support Australia 's commitment to promoting the country's integration with regional and global economies.

To reinforce Australia 's efforts to promote growth and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, the package of initiatives will make substantial new investments in critical areas, including education, economic growth, health and emergency and humanitarian response capacity.

These investments are guided by the 2006 White Paper on Australian aid and demonstrate real progress towards achieving the Government's commitment of a A$4 billion aid programme by 2010.

By vientiane times

Foreign investment on the rise in Laos
(KPL) 440 million USD of foreign investment was pumped into Laos over the first six months of the 2006-2007 fiscal year which began from October 2006. The Lao government granted licences to 122 foreign investment projects over the period, accounting for 70 percent of the government’s target of 171 for the whole year. The majority of investments were made in the areas of agriculture, garment and textiles, industry, handicraft, mining, energy, trade, hotels, restaurants and services.

For the period, the biggest investors into the country are as follow:
1. China
2. France
3. Japan
4. The Republic of Korea
5. Myanmar
6. Poland
7. Sweden
8. Thailand
9. The US
10.Viet Nam

Source: kpl.net.la