Ninth Congress announces new Party leaders, adopts resolution

The Ninth Party Congress ended yesterday with the announcement of members of the Politburo, Secretariat, and Inspection Committee, and adoption of the resolution marking its successful outcome.

Retired Politburo member Mr Sisavat Keobounphanh (second right) congratulates Mr Choummaly Sayasone at the closing ceremony of the 9 th Congress yesterday, while former Party leader and President of Laos, Mr Khamtay Siphandone, looks on.
Mr Choummaly Sayasone was re-elected as Secretary General of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party for a second term .

The number of Politburo members remained at 11, of whom one is a woman, but the number of the new Party Central Committee increased to 61, of whom five are women.
Mr Sisavat Keobounphanh and Mr Saman Vinhaket, who were elected as Politburo members at the Eighth Party Congress, retired, opening up an opportunity for other Party Central Committee members to be promoted to a Politburo post.

The three new Politburo members elected at the congress are Dr Bounthong Chitmany, Dr Bounpone Bouttanavong and Dr Phankham Viphavanh.

Other Politburo members include Mr Thongsing Thammavong, Mr Bounnhang Vorachit, Dr Thongloun Sisoulith, Ms Pany Yathortou, Mr Asang Laoly, Lieutenant General Douangchay Phichit and Mr Somsavat Lengsavad.

The Secretariat Committee of the Party Central Committee comprises nine comrades, namely Mr Choummaly Sayasone, Mr Bounnhang Vorachit, Mr Bounthong Chitmany, Mr Bounpone Bouttanavong, Mr Thongbanh Seng-aphone, Chansy Phosikham, Soukanh Mahalath, Major General Sengnuan Xayalath and Cheuang Sombounkhanh.

Mr Bounnhang Vorachit was elected as Standing Member of the Party Secretariat Committee and Mr Bounthong Chitmany was elected as President of the seven member Inspection Committee of the Party Central Committee.

The 61 members of the Party Central Committee were elected from a total of 69 candidates and voted for by the 576 delegates, representing more than 191,700 Party members nationwide, who attended the five-day congress, which officially opened on March 17.

Just over 39 percent of the new executive committee is aged 60 or over, while just over 57 percent are aged between 45 and 59. The oldest committee member is 75 and the youngest is 42. Almost 36 percent of committee members hold a doctorate degree.

The Party delegates also approved the Resolution of the Ninth Party Congress, which stipulates the key goals for the country to achieve in the next five years, before the newly re-elected Mr Choummaly Sayasone delivered his keynote speech to officially close the congress yesterday.
The Ninth Party Congress was conducted in a constructive atmosphere, with all delegates taking on high responsibility and working hard to ensure its success.

The Party was founded on March 22, 1955, and the Party Congress is held every five years to highlight the preceding five years' achievements and to set goals for the next five years.
The first Congress of the Party was held in 1955 at Ban Nameo in Viengxay district, Huaphan province, with only 25 representatives out of 420 Party members nationwide in attendance.
The Eighth Party Congress took place in Vientiane in March, 2006, and saw Mr Choummaly Sayasone elected as Party Secretary General, replacing Party President Khamtay Siphandone.
Mr Somsavat Lengsavad and Mrs Pany Yathortou were first elected as Politburo members at the Eighth Congress, marking the first time that a woman was elected to this position.
The Eighth Congress was attended by 498 delegates representing 148,590 Party members nationwide.

A crowd of people will gather today in Vientiane to recognise the achievements of the Ninth Party Congress, as well as to mark the 56th anniversary of the founding of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.