Workshop on Women-Owned SMEs in Lao PDR: Navigating Uncharted Waters in the COVID-19 Era

Vientiane, 27 October 2020. The Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC), the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, with support from the USAID Laos Business Environment Project, organized a Workshop on Women-Owned SMEs in Lao PDR: Navigating Uncharted Waters in the COVID-19 Era, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The workshop was co-chaired by Mr. Sengphanomchone Inthasane, Deputy Director-General of DPC; Ms. Chanthachone Vongxay, President of the Lao Business Women’s Association (LBWA), Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI); and Mr. Cullen Hughes, Director, Office of Economic Growth, Education and Energy, USAID Country Representative. Workshop participants around 40 people included representatives from a broad range of public and private sector organizations, including relevant business associations in Lao PDR along with development partners such as USAID, DFAT, and GIZ.

The objective of the workshop was to identify the key constraints faced by women-owned SMEs in Lao PDR and propose specific recommendations on how to best overcome these constraints, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was also a discussion on strengthening the voice of women-owned SMEs in the Public-Private Dialogue process.

Mr. Sengphanomchone Inthasane, Deputy Director-General of DPC, highlighted the current COVID-19 situation and its general impact on economic growth, particularly in the context of SMEs, which account for 98 percent of the businesses in Lao PDR. The introduction of measures to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on the country’s business environment is a Government priority. In addition, he emphasized the important role of women entrepreneurs in the country’s socio-economic development, and the Government’s efforts to support gender equality and build the capacity of women entrepreneurs.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Chanthachone Vongsay, President of LBWA, referenced the association’s efforts to support its members during the COVID-19 pandemic. She stated that they have organized a series of consultations and workshops focused on developing a COVID-19 recovery plan. One of the agreed actions is to establish a “LBWA Development Group” to enable 173 members at the central level to connect their businesses (business matching) and continue their business operations.

“Promoting gender equality and supporting women-owned SMEs in Lao PDR is very important for Lao PDR’s economy,” said Mr. Cullen Hughes, Director, Office of Economic Growth, Education and Energy, USAID Country Representative. “USAID will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Lao Business Women’s Association and relevant development partners to support Lao women entrepreneurs.”
At the end of the workshop, the USAID Laos Business Environment Project team summarized the key takeaways from the workshop and outlined a potential set of activities that could be implemented by the project in the future.

The Lao Business Environment (LBE) was funded by USAID. The project provides capacity building and advisory services aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of Lao Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) while improving implementation of trade-related laws, policies and regulation. The project also targets the industry and service sectors with the highest growth and job creation potential.