Lao Voices

The Japanese government has allocated US$2.3 million to help Laos fight poverty in Huaphan province and create more opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises

The signing ceremony for the two separate funds, organised through the Asian Development Bank, was held yesterday at the Ministry of Finance in Vientiane between senior government officials including Deputy Minister of Finance Ms Viengthong Siphandone and ADB Country Director for Laos Gil Hong Kim.

According to a press release issued at the ceremony, the first assistance package of US$1.8 million will continue poverty reduction programmes in Huaphan province.

It will follow on from a project which ended in 2006 and successfully constructed basic infrastructure and contributed to agriculture and forestry land management while upgrading the knowledge of district and provincial officials.

The second package of US$55,000 is to fund small and medium-sized enterprise development in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Part of the project will include improving procedures in the registration of small and medium-sized enterprises and establishing information centres in two provinces.

The second package will also strengthen the human and institutional capacity of business administration and import-export management systems.

Japanese Ambassador to Laos , Mr Masaaki Miyashita, said the first assistance package aimed to improve living conditions of ethnic people in Huaphan, particularly those who used to cultivate opium poppies.

“I hope the project will contribute to improving the living conditions of people in targeted villages through capacity development and income generation activities,” he said.

“I expect this technical assistance will streamline business procedures and contribute significantly to improving the business and investment environment in Laos.”
Mr Miyashita said economic growth and poverty reduction were the main two pillars of Japan ’s official development assistance to Laos .

The Lao government considers the funding important because it will help achieve the aims of the Lao National Strategy for Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Programme, along with the five-year socio-e conomic development plan.

The Lao government recognises the need to improve the livelihoods of people in rural and mountainous areas, and it has conducted programmes offering lessons on constructing basic infrastructures such as water and sanitation facilities and growing crops for commercial purposes.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
April 10, 2008
Vientiane Times - Vientianetimes.org.la