HANOI, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh urged government officials to keep a close watch on the impacts of the global economic recession on Laos, the Lao newspaper Vientiane Times reported Thursday.

    The prime minister made the call at a meeting with Lao Party committee members and officials from the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment on Wednesday, said the newspaper.

    The prime minister asked the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment to play a greater role in speeding up state investment projects to boost national economic growth at a time of financial hardship.

    The government of Laos has invested about 3.33 trillion Lao kip(391 million U.S. dollars) in a wide range of projects this fiscal year which ends at the end of this month, according to Sinlavong, Lao minister of the ministry of Planning and Investment.

    The government is planning to invest about 5.12 trillion Lao kip (602 million U.S. dollars) in 3,139 public investment projects nationwide next fiscal year which starts from the beginning of next month, hoping to register the national economic growth of 7.5percent, said Sinlavong.

Special Report:  Global Financial Crisis