Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, General Manager of the APTERR Secretariat, along with the Secretariat team, inspected 3,000 MT of rice contributed by the Republic of Korea through the pre-positioned stockpiled rice system under Tier 3 at the warehouse in Vientiane, Lao PDR on 10 March 2025.
The team was warmly welcomed by Ms. Viengmany Onepaseuth, Head of Logistics of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Lao PDR and discussed on the rice quality, unloading procedures and maintenance measures. After inspection, the rice was confirmed to be in a good condition and will be stored for 12 months to ensure immediate responses to disastrous calamities. If no emergency arises, the rice will later be released for poverty alleviation.
To effectively implement the Tier 3 in Lao PDR, the APTERR Secretariat works closely with the Lao government, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, as well as the WFP Lao PDR. The WFP provides logistical support and ensures proper rice storage and warehouse maintenance to facilitate efficient operation in Lao PDR.
While Korea’s 3,000-MT rice has already been pre-positioned, additional 700-MT rice contributions- 400 MT from P.R. China and 300 MT from Japan- will be soon delivered. This will bring the total pre-positioned stocks to 3,700 MT, enhancing emergency preparedness and response efforts in Lao PDR.
