The Second PRC Meeting for the RELATED Project and introduction of the Initiative for IAI Project
By sonsathit rasavong On 26 May, 2016 At 07:51 AM | Categorized As Domestic | With 0 Comments

 

Vientiane, 17 May 2016. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC), Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and the GIZ jointly organized a meeting to review the project implementation progress of the Regional Economic Integration of Laos in ASEAN Trade and Entrepreneurship Development (RELATED) Project and discuss project concept of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration within the Framework of the ASEAN Single Market-IAI. The meeting was held at Mercure Hotel, Vientiane Lao PDR and more than 40 participants from representatives of all development partners and the implementing partners of the RELATED and IAI projects attended the meeting.

The half day meeting reviewed and discussed in details the progress of the project implementation in the past 6 months of RELATED Project and also discussed necessary adjustments to the current annual work plan (FY2015-2016) before submitting to the Program Executive Committee (PEC) for consideration and endorsement.

Additionally, the meeting also introduced and discussed the proposed scope of new support to be provided under new German ASEAN Cooperation Project – designed to assist integration with ASEAN in CLMV countries or IAI project.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Sirisamphanh Vorachith, Director General, Department of Planning and Cooperation, MOIC and chaired of the meeting emphasized that “The project is working closely with a number of public and private sector entities to deliver targeted technical assistance and I see big opportunities for collaboration between RELATED and other projects that are supporting our trade and private sector development agenda. In this regard, I would like to encourage the RELATED project to leverage our Aid for Trade governance framework such as Sector Working Group meeting, PEC, PRC as means maximize synergies between projects and improve overall project effectiveness”. Mr. Director General concluded his remarks by calling on all the implementing partners from both public and private sector to play more pro- active role in drawing lessons from the past and shaping work program for the next six months and beyond to make sure the project achieves tangible results and deliver intended impact on trade and private sector development in our country.

Mr. Ernst Hustaedt, Country director of the GIZ in Lao PDR, co-chaired of the meeting also stated that “After 2 years of the RELATED Project and that started of the IAI project, in this meeting today will be a value opportunity to discuss progress, challenges, and ideas of the future for Lao integration to the AEC. I do hope that we will brainstorm on how the RELATED project together with the IAI project can contribute even more to Lao PDR successful in the AEC”

The project Regional Economic Integration of Laos in ASEAN, Trade and Entrepreneurship Development (RELATED) realize the benefits and mitigate the risks of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) that is to be established in 2015. It therefore supports the Lao Government to successfully manage the ASEAN integration process and seeks to improve the regulatory as well as procedural environment for regional trade and investment. Working both at the national and regional level (Champasak and Luang Prabang provinces) it helps Lao authorities in translating ASEAN agreements into the national legal framework, supports the steering, coordination and monitoring of the AEC implementation, and also assists Lao businesses (especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to be better prepared for the potentials and challenges of regional integration. The 3-year project (2014 to 2017) is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (€6.4m) and is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

 

[Department of Planning and Cooperation, MoIC]

IMG_5910

IMG_5893-2

IMG_5971