How GDMS Aligns with the World Bank Group’s Cloud Strategy in Laos

In its landmark study Advancing Cloud and Data Infrastructure Markets (2024), the World Bank Group (WBG) outlines a transformative strategy for helping low, and middle-income countries modernize their digital infrastructure. The goal is clear: move beyond traditional infrastructure investment toward enabling vibrant, sovereign, and sustainable cloud ecosystems, driven by the private sector, supported by government, and grounded in local development goals.

At GDMS, we are proud to say that our work in Laos is fully aligned with this vision. Here’s how.

Supporting Sovereign Cloud Infrastructure

WBG’s strategy emphasizes that cloud infrastructure must reflect national priorities, regulatory frameworks, and security needs. As the study states:

“Countries are increasingly seeking to maintain control over the location and governance of their data.”
(WBG Cloud Study, 2024)

GDMS has built and continues to operate the Lao National Cloud, hosting critical workloads such as:

eCRVS (civil registration platform for the Ministry of Home Affairs)
eBRS (business registration platform for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce)
LESMIS (education sector information system for the Ministry of Education and Sports)

These platforms are fully hosted in-country, under Lao law, ensuring data sovereignty and jurisdictional control—key pillars of the WBG approach.

Enabling Market-Driven Growth, Not Government Ownership

The WBG model emphasizes creating a healthy digital market, not state-run infrastructure. The role of government is to create policy clarity, while private providers deliver innovation and services.

GDMS supports this by:

Offering Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) to government agencies and enterprises
Providing secure, scalable environments on-demand without requiring capital-intensive public buildout
Working with regulators to ensure lawful, standards-based cloud service delivery

We don’t sell equipment—we build ecosystems.

Promoting Hybrid, Open, and Vendor-Neutral Cloud

According to the WBG:

“Hybrid and multicloud models optimize performance and reduce risk… especially important for maintaining flexibility and sovereignty.”
(WBG Cloud Study, 2024)

GDMS designs cloud environments that:

Use open-source platforms like OpenStack and Proxmox
Allow interoperability with global standards
Prevent vendor lock-in, which is critical for long-term national control

Building Regional Connectivity with Local Anchors

WBG encourages cross-border infrastructure aggregation to overcome scale limitations in smaller economies. GDMS is responding with:

The Lao Domestic Cloud Connect initiative, which lays the foundation for a regional cloud and data exchange point
Partnerships with local ISPs and carriers to promote interconnectivity, IXP participation, and digital sovereignty

By anchoring traffic inside Laos, we reduce latency, improve security, and keep economic value local.

A Sustainable Cloud Built on Clean Energy

Sustainability is non-negotiable in the WBG’s approach:

“Energy-efficient and renewable-powered data centers should be prioritized.”
(WBG Cloud Study, 2024)

GDMS operates Laos’ first LEED data center in Vientiane, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Technology and Communications and Japanese partners under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM). This state-of-the-art facility exemplifies:

Low-carbon compute and storage powered by Laos’ abundant hydropower resources.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, demonstrating a commitment to environmental responsibility and energy efficiency.
Approximately 40% energy efficiency improvement compared to conventional data centers, contributing to significant CO₂ emission reductions .

This green infrastructure not only supports the country’s digital transformation but also aligns with international sustainability standards, positioning Laos as a responsible player in the global digital economy.

Strengthening National Capabilities

The WBG calls for investments not only in infrastructure but in local skills and operational capacity.

GDMS contributes by:

Training national staff in network operations, security, and compliance
Supporting a local DevOps and data center workforce
Sharing best practices with ministry IT teams to raise the national benchmark

A Model for Emerging Economies

The WBG’s framework is clear: enable cloud ecosystems that are local, trusted, sustainable, and market-led.

GDMS in Laos is proving that this model is not only possible, it’s already underway. As cloud demand grows, we remain committed to serving as a trusted local partner, empowering government, enabling digital services, and protecting sovereignty at every step.

Sources:
World Bank Group, “Advancing Cloud and Data Infrastructure Markets: Strategic Directions for Low- and Middle-Income Countries,” 2024.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/advancing-cloud-and-data-infrastructure-markets