On the 5th of November 2012, on the margins of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the President of the French Republic, Mr François HOLLANDE, visited the Institut Pasteur in Laos (IPL) at the invitation of Dr Eksavang VONGVICHIT, Health Minister of the Lao PDR and Dr Paul BREY, Director of IPL.
The President met with French-speaking young Lao researchers of IPL virology laboratory and discuss about their research projects (Dengue virus circulation, Chikungunya emergence in southern Laos). The head of this laboratory explain to him how the biosafety level P2+ laboratory biosafety level 2+ works.
Mr François HOLLANDE met also other heads of IPL laboratories coming from different countries such as Japan, Luxemburg and Germany and gave a press conference to the media.
The Lao delegation included Dr Ponmek DALALOY, Honorary President of IPL Board of Directors while Mr. Yves CARMONA, Ambassador of France in Laos led the French delegation.