Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia bordered by Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

While Laos remains one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, with nearly one-quarter of its population below the poverty line, it has made good progress over the past 20 years, including halving poverty, reducing hunger, and improving education and health outcomes. GDP growth averaged 7.7% over the last decade, with the economy heavily reliant on mining and hydropower. Key development challenges include limited access to quality education, skills shortages, and constraints to the development of the private sector.

ASI delivers the Laos-Australia Development Learning Facility (LADLF) in Laos, which is funded by the Australian aid programme.