Lao PDR

The objective of the Second Trade Development Facility Project for Lao People's Democratic Republic is to support the implementation of government's trade and integ... Show More + ration priorities outlined in the 2012 Diagnostic Trade Integration Study, or DTIS roadmap, and in particular to contribute to improved competitiveness and diversification, focusing outside the natural resource sectors. There are three components to the project, the first component being trade facilitation, trade policy, and regulations. This component builds on the success of trade facilitation and trade policy activities under First Trade Development Facility (TDF-1), and will consist of a number of inter-related activities aimed at improving transparency, predictability and lowering associated compliance costs for traders. Trade facilitation activities will focus primarily on improving inter-agency coordination and supporting the adoption of modern risk based approaches to managing regulatory compliance in non-customs agencies, including reform of non-tariff measures. The second component is the diversification and competitiveness. This component includes a new set of activities aiming to support improved private sector capacity to improve productivity and compete in international markets, focusing on the non natural resources sectors (in particular outside of mining and hydropower). Activities will facilitate the more effective participation of small and medium sized enterprises in the international economy, better skills and labor standards in the manufacturing sector and support to women's economic empowerment. Finally, the third component is the mainstreaming aid for trade. This component will provide for support to the next generation of Lao PDR's 'aid-for-trade' governance framework as part of efforts to move to a full program based approach for trade and private sector development. The project is financed via a multi donor program, including a multi donor trust fund grant with contributions from Australia, the European Union, Germany and Ireland, and a grant from the World Bank/International Development Association. Show Less -

The objectives of the Road Sector Project in Lao People's Democratic Republic are: (a) to improve road services on two main national corridors and the provincial ro... Show More + ad network; (b) to rehabilitate roads damaged by Typhoon Ketsana; and (c) to establish and operationalize a contingency fund for quick disaster response in the road sector. There are three components to the project. The first component of the project is road network improvement and preservation. This component will finance physical works for the upgrading of two critical national road links, the periodic maintenance of the provincial road network, and road safety improvements. The second component of the project is institutional strengthening. The component will provide technical assistance to both the ministry of public works and transport and the provincial departments of public works and transport in the areas of sector strategic management, local road management, country system for environmental safeguard, fiduciary management, and internal controls. The third component of the project is disaster recovery and contingency. The component will fund spot rehabilitation and periodic maintenance of roads damaged by Typhoon Ketsana in the five affected southern provinces (Attapeu, Sekong, Saravanh, Champasack, and Savannakhet), and support an emergency contingency fund that will disburse quickly for emergency civil works and construction materials needed to ensure the passability and safety of the affected national and provincial road links. Show Less -

The objective of the Technical Assistance for Capacity Development in Hydropower and Mining Sectors Project for Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) is to increas... Show More + e human capacity and improve the performance of Government oversight institutions for the hydropower and mining sectors. There are four components to the project. The first component of the project is joint hydropower and mining learning program. This component aims to building critically needed capacity and generating public awareness across the hydropower and mining sectors. The provision of adequate skills and training to government staff and the next generation of leaders for the two sectors will remove critical bottlenecks to the development of both sectors. The second component of the project is hydropower sector development. The hydropower component aims at capacity building in support of sustainable hydropower development in Lao PDR. Activities will cover the entire value chain, from planning, concessioning, construction, and operation to revenue management. The third component of the project is mining sector development. The project will provide funding for three subcomponents pertaining to the mining sector which are: a) improvement of sector governance and the enabling environment; b) strengthening of government oversight capacity; and c) program to promote minerals development. The fourth component of the project is project administration and management. The project will support consultancy services for the project Secretariat established within Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) for coordination and management of the project implementation and acquisition of logistical and equipment support necessary for its smooth functioning. Show Less -

The objective of the Khammouane Development Project for Laos is to strengthen the planning process and public financial management associated with the decentralized... Show More + delivery of services and infrastructure, including irrigation development, in Khammouane province. There are two components to the project. The first component is the local development and provincial capacity building. It will support Khammouane province to: (a) pilot and adopt more transparent and participatory procedures for public investment to improve rural livelihoods; and (b) strengthen key provincial departments to implement and sustain this approach. As a result, the provincial departments will be able to implement the new procedures and approaches adopted by the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic (GoL). There are three subcomponents to the project. The first subcomponent is the District Development Fund (DDF). It will provide support to the province to develop and implement the DDF, as a more transparent and participatory way to finance investments in public infrastructure and service delivery with rural communities. The second subcomponent is the provincial capacity development. Finally, the third subcomponent is the component management. The second component is the support for irrigation development along Nam Theun 2 (NT2) downstream channel and lower Xe bang Fai River. The water to be discharged by the NT2 dam is an opportunity for increasing agricultural production during the dry season, but also poses a risk of increasing floods during the wet season. Given that the Nam Theun Power Company (NTPC) is constructing five outlets along the downstream channel to help the GoL to develop irrigation facilities utilizing discharge water from the NT2 hydropower station, this subcomponent would mainly support the GoL's effort to develop downstream irrigation. Further, as an alternative to protect livelihoods in the lower Xe bang Fai River from possible floods; this component will also support the rehabilitation of small pump-based irrigation facilities. Show Less -

The objective of the Greater Mekong Sub-region Power Trade Projects is to enhance power trade within Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) with a view to also bringing af... Show More + fordable grid-based electricity to selected provinces in Cambodia through import of power from Lao PDR and Vietnam. Overall, the Project has the following main components: Component 1: Development of cross-border 115 kV Transmission Line linking Lao PDR (Ban Hat) and Cambodia (Stung Treng) to facilitate import of lower cost electricity from Lao PDR to displace higher cost diesel-fueled generation sources in Cambodia; Component 2: Development of cross-border 115 kV Transmission Line linking Vietnam (Tan Bien) and Cambodia (Kampong Cham) for bilateral power exchanges, beginning with imports of lower cost electricity from Vietnam to displace diesel-fueled generation in Cambodia, and leading over the long term to the transfer of surplus hydropower from Cambodia to Vietnam; Component 3: Development of the Xeset 1 to Saravan segment of the proposed 115 kV Transmission Link that would eventually interconnect electricity grids from (western) Thailand through (southern) Laos to (southern) Cambodia; Component 4: Development (feasibility, design, building, commissioning) of a modern Load Dispatch Center (LDC) for Lao PDR to facilitate regional power trade. An LDC, from a regional perspective, is essential for bringing: (i) voltage and frequency control; (ii) system protection and reliability; and (iii) technical information on exchange and dispatching, up to the minimum standards required for security of the grids in neighboring countries that are connected, or will be connected, to Electricite du Laos (EdL's) system. By doing so, development of grid-to-grid interconnections and the security of a future integrated GMS power grid would be enhanced; and Component 5: TA activities in support of: (i) development, through a regional perspective, of feasibility study for hydropower generation for facilitating regional power trade; (ii) consulting services for project implementation; and (iii) consulting services for institutional strengthening. Show Less -

The objective of the Health Services Improvement Project (HSIP) is to assist the government of Lao PDR in improving the health status of its population, particularl... Show More + y the poor and rural population, in selected project provinces. The project consist of the following components : 1) improving the quality and utilization of health services; 2) strengthening institutional capacity for health services provision; and 3) improving the equity, efficiency and sustainability of healthcare financing. These were selected on the basis that they are appropriate for attainment of the HSIP development objectives. In addition, the project will pilot new approaches for health financing, especially for the poor that can potentially benefit the whole sector. Show Less -

The Lao Environment and Social Project (LENS) for Lao PDR aims to strengthen the management of environmental and social issues associated with the sustainable use o... Show More + f natural resources. The project has three components: 1) The Policy Implementation and Capacity Enhancement component, which strengthens institutions and instruments for assessment, monitoring, and compliance for environmental and social sustainability, and broadens the constituency for environmental change; 2) the Community and Biodiversity Investments component, which invests in on-the-ground environmental improvement activities, with emphasis on biodiversity conservation and livelihoods enhancement; and 3) the Management and Monitoring Support component, which operationalizes the Environment Protection Fund to become a permanent entity that is eligible to use revenues from the Nam Theun 2 Hydroelectric Project for priority environmental protection activities in the country. Show Less -

This second phase of the Road Maintenance Program (RMP2) will expand the operation of financing, and management systems for the sustainable maintenance of the road ... Show More + networks countrywide, based on the successful experience of initiation, and piloting under the first phase. The project components are as follows. By adopting a programmatic approach, the preservation of the road network will support in part, Annual Work Programs, in periodic, and routine maintenance, including on selected local roads network, and, strengthen quality implementation. The capacity building component will support the strengthening of the transport sector capacity in two core business functions - management and financing of the road infrastructure, and, management of road transport and safety - as well as the general institutional capacity at both national and sub- national levels. Finally, Project administration, will support efficient administration of the Program, through project monitoring, i.e., strengthening project management, reporting, monitoring of project impacts and safeguards, and preparation of future sector programs. Furthermore, incremental operating costs, include modest budget support for project-related activities at central and provincial levels, while auditing includes financial and technical audits to ensure the quality of project implementation. Show Less -

The Second Land Titling Project for Laos will be the second phase o f the long term land titling program aiming at the development o f the land administration capac... Show More + ity to support the country's economic development and poverty reduction goals. The project would contribute to the government's National Poverty Eradication Program (NPEP) under preparation. The objectives o f the project are to (i) improve the security o f land tenure; (ii) develop transparent and efficient land administration institutions at the national and provincial levels; and (iii) improve the government's capacity to provide social and economic services through broader revenue base from property related fees and taxes. These objectives would be achieved through formulating and approving land policy and regulatory changes, strengthening institutional capacity and project management, accelerating land titling activities in areas o f high demand, developing and implementing an efficient and transparent land registration system, and strengthening land valuation systems. There are 5 project components. Component 1 provides support to develop the land policy and regulatory framework, and specifically helps to develop the government's capacity to formulate land policies and establishes a coordination mechanism for land information. Component 2 supports long-term development of the Department of Lands and the Provincial Land Office; provides training and human resources development; and supports education in the areas of land administration, land management, and property valuation. Component 3 develops a modern land registration system by helping land offices operate according to agreed standards, providing community education and services, strengthening land valuation to support land registration, and supporting the Department of State Assets Management. Component 4 accelerates land registration through systematic registration. Component 5 supports project management and implementation. Show Less -

The Financial Management Capacity Building Credit Project for aims to provide a comprehensive and strategic framework for the capacity building activities to improv... Show More + e the financial management in Laos PDR and to provide a credit for specific technical assistance and training activities within such framework. There are four project components. Component 1 supports capacity building activities in four areas: 1) designing and implementing individual restructuring plans for state owned commercial banks; 2) assessing, developing, and supporting the legal and institutional framework for resolving non-performing loans; 3) strengthening the capacity of the Bank of Lao PDR (BOL) to supervise SCBs and the capacity of the government to monitor and support Bank restructuring plans; and 4) developing rural and micro finance. Component 2 supports capacity building in budget planning, streamlining budget execution and control, and improving transparency into the budgetary process as well as the issue of transparency related to public finances, adequate public disclosure of financial information, and public sector accounting and auditing standards. Component 3 builds capacity in 1) strengthening oversight of financial and operational performance of public enterprises; 2) strengthens capacity of board directors and senior maangement in corporate governance and financial management and enterprise restructuring; and 3) reforms tariff policy. Component 4 builds the finance ministry's capacity. Show Less -