## Lao People's Democratic Republic and the IMF

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Lao People's Democratic Republic and the IMF](https://www.imf.org/en/countries/lao)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/countries/lao/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/countries/lao/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/countries/lao/bundle-manifest.json)

### Office Information

Contact Information: 856-21-267 787  
Jochen Schmittmann, Resident Representative

### At a Glance

- 2026 Projected Real GDP (% Change) : 4.0
- 2026 Projected Consumer Prices (% Change): 9.6
- Country Population: 7.889 million
- Date of Membership: July 5, 1961
- [Article IV/Country Report](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2023/05/22/lao-people-s-democratic-republic-2023-article-iv-consultation-press-release-staff-report-533636): May 22, 2023
- Special Drawing Rights (SDR): 130.21 million
- Quota (SDR): 105.8 million
- Number of Arrangements since membership: 4

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### Coverage and available document categories
- Provides information on official IMF reports and Executive Board documents in English that deal with Lao People's Democratic Republic.
- Listed categories include:
  - Executive Board Calendar
  - Board Discussions on Lao Peoples Democratic Republic
  - Article IV Staff Reports
  - Financial Position in the Fund
  - Transactions with the Fund
  - People's Republic of China
  - Contact Us

### Resident Representative for Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Name and title:
  - Jochen Schmittmann — Regional Resident Representative
- Responsibilities and coverage:
  - Regional Resident Representative for the IMF Resident Offices in Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR.
- Previous IMF roles and experience:
  - Deputy Head of the IMF’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Tokyo
  - Desk Economist on the Japan team
  - Mission Chief for the Federated States of Micronesia
  - IMF Resident Representative in Singapore, covering Singapore, Malaysia, and Asian financial markets
  - Worked in the IMF’s Asia and Pacific, Western Hemisphere, Finance, and Monetary and Capital Markets departments
  - Worked as part of the team managing the IMF’s investments
- Research and publications:
  - Published on behavioral finance, climate finance, currency hedging, labor markets, and the economic impact of demographic change in Asia
- Education:
  - Ph.D. in Financial Economics from Goethe University Frankfurt

### Recent consultations and outreach
- The most recent Article IV Executive Board Consultation was on February 13, 2026.
- IMF outreach:
  - Invitation to participate in a survey about the IMF’s work and communications in Asia to improve engagement ahead of the 2026 Annual Meetings in Thailand.

### See All Documents

- [See All Documents](https://www.imf.org/en/countries/lao#whatsnew)

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## References

- [Board Discussions on Lao Peoples Democratic Republic](https://www.imf.org/en/about/executive-board/ebc-archive/country)
- [People's Republic of China](https://www.imf.org/en/countries/chn)
- [Resident Representative for Lao People's Democratic Republic](https://www.imf.org/en/countries/resrep/lao)
- [Article IV/Country Report:](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2023/05/22/lao-people-s-democratic-republic-2023-article-iv-consultation-press-release-staff-report-533636)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/countries/lao_