Workshop on Strengthening Local Public-Private Dialogue (LPPD) Platforms in Lao PDR – Challenges and Opportunities

Vientiane, 12 October 2020. The Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC), Ministry of Industry and Commerce, with support from the USAID Laos Business Environment Project, organized a Workshop on Strengthening Local Public-Private Dialogue (LPPD) Platforms in Lao PDR: Challenges and Opportunities, at the Grand Hotel Vientiane. The workshop was co-chaired by Mr. Sengphanomchone Inthasane, Deputy Director General of DPC and Mr. Vanthong Sithikoun, Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI). The workshop participants were the representatives of a broad range of public and private sector organizations, including relevant business associations in Lao PDR along with development partners such as USAID and the Asia Foundation.

The objective of the workshop was to identify practical mechanisms to extend LPPD in Lao PDR and pro-actively engage local businesses including Small and Medium Enterprises and women-owned businesses in the public-private dialogue process.

Mr. Sengphanomchone Inthasane, Deputy Director General of DPC, stressed that creating an environment conducive for business growth is always the Government’s priority. Improving the business environment plays a critical role in increasing the competitiveness of businesses, attracting foreign direct investment to Lao PDR as well as ensuring sustainable economic growth, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, further cooperation and dialogue between the public and private sectors is encouraged in order to find practical solutions to restore a sound business environment that could mitigate the pandemic’s impact on businesses.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Vanthong Sithikoun, Vice President of LNCCI, and co-chair of the meeting, highlighted the importance of public-private dialogue under the Lao Business Forum as an important platform to discuss issues that hinder business operations and support the government in identifying priority issues that need to be addressed to improve the business enabling environment. He added that the LNCCI endeavors to improve and extend the constructive public-private dialogue platform to local level.

Mr. Cullen Hughes, Director, Office of Economic Growth, Education and Energy, USAID Country Representative to Laos, emphasized the importance of LPPD in supporting business enabling environment reforms. USAID will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, LNCCI and relevant development partners to strengthen public-private dialogue mechanisms by making them more inclusive.

At the end of the workshop, it was agreed that the Laos Business Environment Project team will prepare a workshop summary report and share it with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, LNCCI and USAID. This report will also outline next steps, including preparation of a LPPD roadmap and implementation plan.