Lao PDR

To lay the groundwork for the DTIS and the IF process, a preliminary mission took place in July 2004. Participants included representatives of IF agencies and the European Commission. The main results included setting up the IF organizational structures (National Steering Committee, IF Focal Point and an IF Secretariat).

The main mission took place in March 2005. Prior to this mission, a concept paper was prepared. All IF agencies participated in this mission. During this mission, competitiveness workshops for producers were organized on tourism, manufacturing and agriculture. The results of the main mission are reflected in an aide-mémoire. Australia is the IF Facilitator.

The draft DTIS was transmitted to the government. Early March 2006, the government organized a workshop to discuss the core elements of the draft action matrix as well as workshops in two provinces to strengthen their involvement in the IF process.

The National Validation Workshop took place in September 2006.

After the Validation Workshop, the government prepared an aide-mémoire, highlighting the following points:

• Improving coordination amongst donors to avoid duplication and ensure that trade is on the donors agenda. Establishing a multi-donor trust fund to implement the DTIS action matrix is being considered
• Improving coordination and mainstreaming of trade within the government
• Setting-up an implementation structure
  

Four Window II projects were launched:

• Capacity building and technical support for WTO accession
• Institutional strengthening of IF coordination and implementation structure
• Support to garment industry
• Capacity building at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

A multi-donor trade development basket fund is being set up.

IF Focal Point	Mrs. Khemmani Pholsena Vice Minister of Trade Ministry of Industry and Trade P.O. Box 4107, Phonexay Road Saysettha, Vientiane, Lao PDR Tel.: +856 21 415 927/ 21 450 066 Ms. Amanda Sunassee IF Facilitation Specialist Ministry of Industry and Trade
IF Donor Facilitator	Ms. Raine Dixon Head of Development Cooperation AusAID Australian Embassy Vientiane Ph: (856-21) 353800 ext 121 Fax: (856-21)353831 Mob: (856-20) 5528 264 Ms. Phanthakone Champasith
World Bank Contact	Ms. Mona Haddad Lead Economist
UNDP Contact	Setsuko Yamazaki
Aide-Mémoire	Aide-Mémoire - main mission (pdf - 76k) Aide-Mémoire - follow-up mission (pdf - 21k)
Concept Paper	Concept paper (pdf - 143k)
Diagnostic Trade Integration Study	Executive Summary (pdf - 850k) DTIS (pdf - 3.2mb)
Action Matrix	Action Matrix (pdf - 86k)
Date of Workshop	12 September 2006
Implementation Meeting
Approved Window II Projects
Monitoring Matrix
EIF Correspondence	In-country preparations for the EIF