H.E. Sonexay Vannaxay, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Lao PDR to the Republic of the Philippines, pays a courtesy visit to Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director.
H.E. Sonexay Vannaxay, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Lao PDR to the Republic of the Philippines, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 15 April 2025. Accompanying him was Ms. Chansamone Paserdung, Administrative Staff.
The delegation was received by Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director; Dr. Nur Azura Adam, Deputy Director for Programs; Dr. Rico Ancog, Special Assistant to the Director; and Ms. Sharon Malaiba, Unit Head for Partnerships.
During the visit, Ambassador Vannaxay was briefed on SEARCA's core programs and its long-standing cooperation with Lao PDR. Among the highlights were graduate scholarships for master's and PhD studies, through which 76 Laotians have completed their graduate programs. Lao PDR was also the first beneficiary of SEARCA's Institutional Development Assistance Program, which supports strategically located universities to enable them to meet the agricultural human resources needs for economic growth in SEAMEO member countries. SEARCA has built the capacity of 176 Laotians through 75 international, regional, and in-country training, seminars, and learning forums. The Center also implemented development projects on food security, nutrition, and innovation for Lao PDR.
Ambassador Vannaxay thanked SEARCA for its continuing efforts to provide Laotians with scholarships and capacity-building programs.
Dr. Sombilla assured the ambassador of SEARCA's continuous support.
"It will definitely not stop there. We will try our best to really expand our assistance to Lao PDR and the rest of the Southeast Asian region," she affirmed.
One potential initiative discussed was the establishment of a joint scholarship project with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Lao PDR, modeled after SEARCA's ongoing collaborations with other partners. The meeting also explored a collaborative policy research that will provide analyses to strengthen the competitiveness of the country's agriculture sector.
Moreover, SEARCA's two editions of the Southeast Asian Agriculture and Development Primer Series cover agricultural policies and reforms in Southeast Asia, including Lao PDR. Dr. Sombilla suggested updating it with a third edition to reflect changes in the region's agricultural landscape.
In addition, Dr. Sombilla also proposed scaling out SEARCA's School-Plus Home Gardens Program to Lao PDR in collaboration with its Ministry of Education.
As a token of appreciation, Dr. Sombilla presented Ambassador Vannaxay with a miniature replica of SEARCA's Growth Monument, a scrupturecreated by artist Renato Rocha symbolizing the synergy amid the diversity of the 11 member countries of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), SEARCA's mother organization, in pursuit of a prosperous Southeast Asia.
