USAID Laos Business Environment Project organized a virtual workshop on Project Coordination and FY2022 Strategic Planning

Vientiane, October 7 – 8, 2021. The Department of Planning and Cooperation, Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) and the USAID Laos Business Environment (LBE) Project jointly organized a virtual workshop on project coordination and FY2022 strategic planning. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Sengphanomchone Inthasane, Deputy Director General, Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC), MOIC and Mr. Melvin Spence, Chief of Party of the USAID Laos Business Environment Project. Meeting participants included representatives from the MOIC, Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism (MICT), Ministry of Technology and Communication (MTC), Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), the Champasak Department of Industry and Commerce (DOIC) and the Champasak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).

The principal objective of this meeting was to ensure mutual understanding between the technical focal points of the Laos Business Environment Project on coordination and implementation roles. Participants also discussed the FY2022 project plan and potential activities that could be included in the agenda for the Project Review Committee (PRC) meeting which is tentatively scheduled for November 2021.

During the opening, Mr. Sengphanomchone Inthasane, Deputy Director General, DPC, expressed his appreciation to the LBE Project team and recognized the project coordinating body and technical focal points for their cooperation and support in the implementation of Laos Business Environment Project activities. He further emphasized the importance of this meeting and noted that it would help project technical focal points understand the coordination and management processes as well as clarify pain points, coordination challenges and other obstacles encountered during the project implementation process.

The USAID Laos Business Environment Project’s Chief of Party, Mr. Melvin Spence, added that “this meeting was an opportune time for the project team and our counterparts to step back and reflect on the project implementation experience to date, and discuss our experiences, challenges, and lessons learned. We appreciated the comments and feedback from counterparts. We re-affirmed our commitment to regularly consult with counterparts to ensure continued successful delivery of the project.” Mr. Spence also stated that this consultation process would enable the project team to ensure alignment and synergies across all three components. He also conveyed his appreciation to the MOIC and the project counterparts for their steadfast commitment to the project and productive cooperation.

The meeting was conducted for one day and a half. A half day session on October 7 focused on the project coordination mechanism with key counterparts, challenges, lessons learned and the way forward. A full day workshop on October 8 focused on strategic planning for the FY2022 workplan.

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