Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – On December 8, 2025, officials from the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, together with representatives from the European Union and France, launched a five-day monitoring and inspection tour in Phongsaly Province, focusing on the "Green CUP – High-Quality, Climate-Resistant and Inclusive Value Chain Project." The tour was attended by Mr. Bounnhout Southemaly, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Laos; Mr. Benedict Deschamps, French Ambassador to Laos; Mr. Verle Smet, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Laos; and the Green CUP project team.
During the tour, the delegation paid a courtesy call on Mr. Phongsaly Vongsak, Vice Chairman of the Phongsaly Provincial Administrative Committee, reaffirming their shared commitment to deepening cooperation and promoting development in the agricultural sector. Following the tour, the delegation visited the Nyot Ou Tea Cooperative, Komaen Tea Cooperative, and Somnuek Laothang Tea Factory in Phongsaly Province, and also inspected several coffee projects in Phongsaly and Oudomxay provinces. On-site observations show that local producers have made significant progress, successfully transitioning to organic and ecological agricultural practices, building a more climate-resilient and inclusive value chain, and high-quality Lao tea has been successfully exported to the European market.
French Ambassador to Laos, Benedict de Chancellor, emphasized: “This visit is of great significance to the cooperation between the European team and Phongsaly Province. Our visit to the Green CUP project site aims to convey our shared vision for the development of the local tea and coffee industries.” She pointed out that the ancient tea trees in the forests of Phongsaly Province are both a cultural heritage and an important economic asset, while coffee cultivation has also brought new development opportunities to local farmers.
Phongsaly Provincial Administrative Committee Vice Chairman, Phounsay Vongsak, on behalf of the Provincial Administrative Committee, the Provincial Government, and the people of the province, expressed sincere gratitude and high respect to the French government and people. He stated that the support and assistance provided by the French government to Laos in many areas has played a vital role in promoting Laos' socio-economic development, especially in helping the people of Phongsaly Province escape poverty.
The "Enhancing the Green Economy through High-Quality, Climate-Resistant, and Inclusive Value Chains" (Green CUP) project aims to support Lao provinces, cooperatives, and farmers in building climate-resistant, high-quality agricultural value chains. This will help expand market access, promote equitable growth, and ensure sustainable development in northern Laos.
As one of the two flagship projects of the EU's Global Gateway Europe Team in collaboration with Laos to promote sustainable and inclusive trade and investment connectivity in agriculture and forestry (TICAF), the Green CUP project was launched on March 14, 2024. The project focuses on agricultural eco-community action, helping the Lao coffee and tea industries connect to high-value sustainable markets (especially the European market) by creating climate-resistant and inclusive value chains, thereby promoting green economic trade and investment development in related industries.
Background information shows that the EU's Global Gateway strategy, launched in 2021, aims to build sustainable and trustworthy cooperative connections to help address pressing global challenges such as climate change, improve health systems, and enhance the competitiveness and security of global supply chains. This collaboration builds upon the "Laos People's Democratic Republic European Team Strategy 2021-2025," jointly developed by European partners including the EU, Finland, France, and Germany, and continues the collaborative achievements of the "Laos-European Joint Plan 2016-2020." More information on the "European Team Strategy" can be found in the summary document: https://issuu.com/euinlaopdr/docs/team_europe_strategy_2021-2025_summary
