Lao PDR: Economy Recovers then Falters Again under COVID-19
The Lao economy is on course for moderately improved growth in 2021, despite the second wave of COVID-19 denting the promising economic recovery made early in the year. The World Bank’s latest Economic Monitor for Lao PDR — A Path to Recovery — predicts that GDP growth will rise to 3.6 percent in 2021, against a figure of 0.5 percent in 2020.
This forecast is down from the 4 percent growth projected in March 2021, and depends on various assumptions, including economic recovery in neighboring countries, accelerated vaccination rates nationwide, and mitigation of community outbreaks over the rest of the year. Growth could yet fall further if the COVID-19 outbreak worsens and strong lockdown measures persist, or if Laos again suffers repeated natural disasters such as flooding, drought, or outbreaks of livestock disease.
World Bank
