The Eighth Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, which opened on March 18, was officially concluded on Tuesday. The congress selected Mr Choummaly Sayasone as a new Secretary General of the party.

Choummaly, a former Politburo Member of the Party Central Committee, said during the final event of the Congress that he will continue the current policy of the party and deepen the reforms, as well as realize the sixth five-year plan on socio- economic development.

Laos will insist on the reform route while aims to basically solve the problem of poverty before 2010 and to have Laos removed from the list of Least Developed Countries by 2020, said Choummaly.

During the four-day event, delegates listened to discussions on several issues relating to the Party leadership over the past five years, and also discussed the sixth five-year plan on socio- economic development, which will be implemented over the next five years.

At the final event, the Congress adopted a number of issues which will constitute the guidelines for national development. These include the selection of new Executive Board Members of Lao People's Revolutionary Party. Bounnhang Vorachit, Asang Laoly, Duangchit Phichit, Bounthong Chitmany, Sounbath Yariher and Thongbanh Sengaphone were selected as Members of the Party's Executive Board.

The function also voted eleven persons as Politburo Members of the Party Central Committee and 55 people as main members of Party Central Committee. The Politburo Members of the party are Choummaly Sayasone, Samane Viyakhet, Thongsing Thammavong, Bounnhang Vorachit, Sisavath Keobounphanh, Asang Laoly, Bouasone Bouphavanh, Thongloun Sisoulith, Douangchai Phichit, Somsavat Lengsavad and Mrs Pany Yathothu.

Source: Xinhua