Lao PDR

The program development objectives (PDOs) of the Second Phase of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Rural Electrification Project for Lao People's Democratic Rep... Show More + ublic are to: (i) increase access to electricity of rural households in villages of targeted provinces and (ii) improve financial performance of the power sector. The World Bank's OP 4.12 establishes several key principles to be followed in resettlement planning and implementation. Of particular relevance for this resettlement policy framework (RPF) are the following: 1) wherever possible, project designs and resettlement plan's (RPs) should be conceived as development opportunities, so that displaced persons may benefit from the services and facilities created for, or by, project activities; 2) all displaced persons are entitled to compensation for lost assets, or to alternative but equivalent forms of assistance in lieu of compensation; lack of legal rights to the assets lost will not bar displaced persons from entitlement to such compensation or alternative forms of assistance; 3) compensation rates as established in a RP refer to amounts to be paid in full to the individual or collective owner of the lost asset, without depreciation or deduction for taxes, fees or any other purpose; 4) when cultivated land is acquired, effort should be made to provide land-for-land replacement; 5) replacement house plots, sites for relocating businesses, or replacement agricultural land should be of equivalent use value to the land that was lost; 6) the resettlement transition period should be minimized. Compensation for assets should be paid prior to the time of impact, so that new houses can be constructed, fixed assets can be removed or replaced, and other necessary mitigation measures can be undertaken prior to actual displacement; 7) displaced persons are to receive support (direct assistance or allowances) to meet moving expenses or for temporary subsistence until they can resume productive activities; 8) displaced persons should be consulted during the process of RP preparation, so that their preferences regarding possible resettlement arrangements are solicited and considered; RPs are publicly disclosed in a manner accessible to displaced persons; 9) the previous level of community services and access to resources will be maintained or improved after resettlement; 10) responsibility must be clearly established for meeting all costs associated with land acquisition and resettlement, and for ensuring that sufficient funds are available as they become needed; 11) clear institutional arrangements must be established to ensure effective and timely implementation of all resettlement and rehabilitation measures; 12) adequate arrangements for effective monitoring will be made on implementation of all resettlement measures; and 13) methods by which displaced persons can pursue grievances will be established, and information about grievance procedures will be provided to displaced persons. Show Less -

The Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) Road Sector Project (LRSP) aims to improve road services on two main national corridors and the provincial road network, ... Show More + to recover the conditions of Typhoon Ketsana damaged roads, and to establish a contingency fund for quick disaster response in the road sector. This draft safeguard diagnostic review (SDR) describes the scope, methodology, and findings of the equivalence analysis and acceptability assessment carried out in Lao PDR by staff from the World Bank. It also identifies and proposes gap-filling measures designed to ensure that applicable Lao PDR safeguard systems meet the equivalence and acceptability criteria of OP 4.00 throughout the project cycle and are adapted to extend their benefits beyond the scope of the project to the extent possible. The draft SDR was conducted in collaboration with the Borrower, the Minister of Public Works and Transport (the MPWT) and officials from the Water Resources and Environment Authority of Lao PDR (WREA). This draft was discussed in a stakeholder consultation workshop held in Vientiane, Lao PDR on December 15, 2008 and the results of the workshop are reflected in the final draft of the SDR to be issued prior to project Appraisal, currently scheduled for October 2009. Show Less -

The objectives of the Additional Financing of the First Phase Rural Electrification Project for Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) are to: (i) increase access t... Show More + o electricity of rural households in villages of targeted provinces, and (ii) improve financial performance of the power sector. Some of the negative impacts and their mitigation measures include: 1) wherever possible, project designs and resettlement plans (RPs) should be conceived as development opportunities, so that displaced persons may benefit from the services and facilities created for, or by, project activities; 2) all displaced persons are entitled to compensation for lost assets, or to alternative but equivalent forms of assistance in lieu of compensation; lack of legal rights to the assets lost will not bar displaced persons from entitlement to such compensation or alternative forms of assistance; 3) compensation rates as established in a RP refer to amounts to be paid in full to the individual or collective owner of the lost asset, without depreciation or deduction for taxes, fees or any other purpose; 4) when cultivated land is acquired, effort should be made to provide land-for-land replacement; 5) replacement house plots, sites for relocating businesses, or replacement agricultural land should be of equivalent use value to the land that was lost; 6) the resettlement transition period should be minimized. Compensation for assets should be paid prior to the time of impact, so that new houses can be constructed, fixed assets can be removed or replaced, and other necessary mitigation measures can be undertaken prior to actual displacement; 7) displaced persons are to receive support (direct assistance or allowances) to meet moving expenses or for temporary subsistence until they can resume productive activities; 8) displaced persons should be consulted during the process of RP preparation, so that their preferences regarding possible resettlement arrangements are solicited and considered; RPs are publicly disclosed in a manner accessible to displaced persons; and 9) methods by which displaced persons can pursue grievances will be established, and information about grievance procedures will be provided to displaced persons. Show Less -

The objectives of the Additional Financing of the First Phase Rural Electrification Project for Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) are to: (i) increase access t... Show More + o electricity of rural households in villages of targeted provinces, and (ii) improve financial performance of the power sector. Some of the negative impacts and their mitigation measures include: 1) wherever possible, project designs and resettlement plans (RPs) should be conceived as development opportunities, so that displaced persons may benefit from the services and facilities created for, or by, project activities; 2) all displaced persons are entitled to compensation for lost assets, or to alternative but equivalent forms of assistance in lieu of compensation; lack of legal rights to the assets lost will not bar displaced persons from entitlement to such compensation or alternative forms of assistance; 3) compensation rates as established in a RP refer to amounts to be paid in full to the individual or collective owner of the lost asset, without depreciation or deduction for taxes, fees or any other purpose; 4) when cultivated land is acquired, effort should be made to provide land-for-land replacement; 5) replacement house plots, sites for relocating businesses, or replacement agricultural land should be of equivalent use value to the land that was lost; 6) the resettlement transition period should be minimized. Compensation for assets should be paid prior to the time of impact, so that new houses can be constructed, fixed assets can be removed or replaced, and other necessary mitigation measures can be undertaken prior to actual displacement; 7) displaced persons are to receive support (direct assistance or allowances) to meet moving expenses or for temporary subsistence until they can resume productive activities; 8) displaced persons should be consulted during the process of RP preparation, so that their preferences regarding possible resettlement arrangements are solicited and considered; RPs are publicly disclosed in a manner accessible to displaced persons; and 9) methods by which displaced persons can pursue grievances will be established, and information about grievance procedures will be provided to displaced persons. Show Less -