The Ministry of Industry and Commerce convenes the 4th Project Review Committee (PRC) Meeting of the USAID Laos Business Environment Project

Vientiane, July 19, 2022. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) convened the fourth Project Review Committee Meeting of the USAID Laos Business Environment Project at the Landmark Hotel.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, H.E. Dr. Manothong Vongsay, and USAID Country Representative to Laos, Mr. Michael Ronning, co-chaired the meeting. Participants – both in-person and virtual – included the project’s key technical government focal points, project counterparts, and development partners.

The principal objectives of the meeting were to review and assess the results of project implementation during the January – June 2022 timeframe as well as present and discuss the project work plan for July – December 2022.

During his opening remarks, H.E. Dr. Manothong Vongsay, Deputy Minister of the MoIC, “expressed sincere thanks to the US Government and USAID for its commitment to trade and private sector development in Laos, particularly for providing resources to the LBE project.” He also pointed out that despite the pandemic’s devastating effects around the world, rebuilding economies is seen as a window of opportunity to fundamentally re-think the way things are done and to promote businesses and sectors that help address existing development challenges. The LBE project is well-positioned to make important contributions to the following priority areas:

• LBE’s engagement in promoting eco-tourism and the establishment of the Tourism Promotion Board is closely aligned with our national green growth strategy;
• The ongoing work in the ICT sector and planned future support have great potential for promoting much-needed skilled jobs and encouraging business start-ups, especially for young people;
• The support to the handicraft sector could have a visible impact in promoting women’s economic empowerment and promoting a sustainable recovery; and,
• Likewise, the support for public-private dialogue, targeted technical assistance to improve dispute resolution, and other institutions to support effective functioning of the market economy could make important contributions to improving the overall environment for doing business in Laos.

The Laos Business Environment Project’s 6-month progress report for the Year 3 workplan was presented by the project’s Technical Focal Points, namely the Department of SME Promotion for Component 1; the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Component 2; and the Department of Foreign Trade Policy for Component 3.

In his remarks, Mr. Michael Ronning, the USAID Country Representative to Laos, thanked government and private sector counterparts for their continuous support and collaboration. He stated that “The U.S. government is strongly supportive of Lao PDR’s 9th Socio-Economic Development Strategy and the USAID Laos Business Environment project is well aligned with the Government of Lao PDR’s priorities.

Notable achievements of the USAID Laos Business Environment Project to date include:

• Champasak Department of Industry and Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry convened the first-ever Champasak Annual Business Forum.
• The project continued to improve SMEs’ capacity in the tourism and handicraft sectors by equipping them with digital skills such as e-marketing, and to be aware of necessary tools and standards including intellectual property, and ASEAN homestay and ASEAN community-based tourism standards.
• The Ministry of Justice secured endorsement of the draft Decree on Private Mediation for Economic Disputes and the draft Decree on Mediator and Arbitrator Fees at the March 2022 Government Cabinet Meeting.
• The Ministry of Justice, with LBE support, finalized the Guidebook on the Lao Official Gazette which will serve as a tool to assist public officials in gaining a better understanding of the Lao Official Gazette system; encourage relevant agencies to post legislation; and enable SMEs to increase awareness of relevant laws that impact their businesses.

The USAID Laos Business Environment Project assists the Government of Laos to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises while strengthening the country’s business environment.