VIENTIANE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government, in partnership with the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance, hosted the 10th Asia Pacific Leaders' Summit on Malaria Elimination, reaffirming its commitment to accelerating efforts to eliminate malaria across the region.

The summit, held in Lao capital Vientiane on Friday, was chaired by Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and attended by Lao Minister of Health Baykham Khattiya, representatives from Cambodia, China, France, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam, as well as delegates from development partners and stakeholders, according to the local Pasaxon newspaper report.

In his opening remarks, Sonexay highlighted the region's commitment to malaria elimination, recalling the joint declaration signed by countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in Geneva in 2018 to eliminate malaria by 2030. The declaration was a response to the growing threat of multidrug-resistant malaria, which posed significant risks to both regional and global health.

He noted that the initiative has helped advance the broader regional goal of achieving a malaria-free Asia-Pacific by 2030. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made, with confirmed malaria cases across the GMS declining by 36 percent between 2015 and 2024.

Sonexay attributed these achievements to strong regional cooperation and coordinated efforts among partner countries and organizations.

Reaffirming Laos' commitment to eliminating malaria by 2030, he stressed the importance of sustainable financing, stronger national ownership, effective management, and greater accountability. He also highlighted ongoing challenges, including climate change, cross-border transmission, conflict, population displacement, and limited access to healthcare among vulnerable populations.

The summit serves as a key platform for high-level dialogue, knowledge sharing, and political cooperation to sustain momentum during the final and most challenging phase of malaria elimination.