Associate Prof. Dr Thongsalith Mangnomek and Ms Oya Yazar discuss Laos-Türkiye education cooperation.

Turkish govt proposes landmark education initiative in Laos

The government of the Republic of Türkiye has put forward a significant initiative to deepen cooperation with Laos by proposing the establishment of a Lao-Turkish friendship school in Vientiane.
The proposal is part of Turkey’s broader commitment to support and promote development in the education sector between the two nations.
The proposed school topped the agenda during a meeting held last week between Laos’ Minister of Education and Sports, Associate Prof. Dr Thongsalith Mangnomek, and the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Laos, Ms Oya Yazar.
The meeting marked Ambassador Yazar’s official engagement in her new role and served as a platform to reaffirm the long-standing ties and mutual aspirations between the two countries.
The Turkish side has selected Tanmixay Secondary School in Xaythany district as the site for construction of the Lao-Turkish friendship school and also plans to renovate Phonpapao kindergarten in Sisattanak district.
The project is currently in the preparatory stage, with documents being finalised for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
During the meeting, Associate Prof. Dr Thongsalith Mangnomek reviewed various aspects of cooperation between the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports and the Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMV), which is currently in the process of preparing documents for the Memorandum of Understanding.
The two sides acknowledged the numerous achievements of friendship and cooperation between the two countries in the fields of education, health, politics, economics, trade, and more.
According to the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bilateral trade reached a peak in 2018 and 2019 but subsequently declined by 75 percent when the Covid pandemic struck.
The value of two-way trade then rose to more than US$11.83 million in 2023, signalling post-pandemic recovery as trade turnover exceeded the figure of US$11 million recorded in 2022.
In 2020, the governments of Laos and Türkiye partnered in efforts related to unexploded ordnance, disaster preparedness and response, and disaster risk reduction and recovery.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update August 14 , 2025)