Beyond implementing progress: the 5th PRC meeting allowed partners and project team to set way forward for the ARISE Plus project in 2022

Vientiane Capital, 30 November 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in collaboration with the International Trade Center (ITC), organized the 5th Project Review Committee (PRC) Meeting for the ARISE Plus Lao PDR project to review the project’s implementation progress and discuss the work plan for 2022. The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Somchith Inthamith, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce and Mr. Vincent Vire, the Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation of Lao PDR. More than XX representatives form ITC, implementing partners from line ministries, NGOs, institutions and the private sector attended the meeting in the hybrid format (partially in person and online).

The meeting discussed the key achievements of the project, which were divided into two main aspects. Firstly, capacity building on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) for National Enquiry Points and National Notification Authority regarding ISO 14001, and the enhancement of knowledge strengthening on market requirements for export in the wood processing and coffee sectors. Subsequently, the representative from MOIC put forward the discussion on key priorities for 2022.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Mr. Somchith Inthamith, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, appreciated the project’s remarkable success during the second half of this fiscal year, despite challenging circumstances related to lockdown measures and restrictions on international and domestic travel. The project has successfully provided technical capacity-building that is relevant to the European Union market access in general, and to specific sectors targeted by the project namely, the coffee and wood processing sector. These key achievements can be seen as launching of export roadmaps for the coffee and wood processing sectors; implementing a series of trainings and workshops on ISO Standards, Trade Policy Modeling, Everything But Arms (EBA) Business Guide, Improving Sensory and Cupping Skills, Validation of ATIGA Gap Analysis, regular trainings on Quality Champions Program, and Market Requirements for Exporting Processed Wood Products to the EU Market, among other.

Mr. Vincent Vire, Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation to Lao PDR, emphasized in his closing remark on the outstanding benchmarks of the project and reiterated the support for further strengthening the collaboration between EU and Lao government on trade development for better preparation of the Least Development Country (LDC) graduation and long-term economic recovery.

In his closing remark, H.E. Mr. Somchith Inthamith, Deputy Ministry of Industry and Commerce, stressed to the project team to reflect all specific comments from today’s meeting for the project report revision to seek official approval at the PEC meeting, which is scheduled for 14 December 2021.

Finally, H.E. Mr. Somchith Inthamith expressed his gratitude towards his co-chair, ITC’s Chief for the Office for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Xuejun Jiang, participants, and the project team for their contribution to the implementation of the project.

ARISE Plus Laos project funded by EU supports Lao government to improve business environment with a focus on regional economic integration and increase trade, especially the trade preference for exports, and participation in global value chains in targeted sectors. With the collaboration of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the International Trade Center, more than 600 individual development partners, 30 firms and 130 government officers participated in the events organized by the project.