Country Director of the KOICA Office in Laos, Kim Myungjin, greeting the director general of Planning Department of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Phayleuth Phonboulom, after signing an MoU on grant funding. - VT
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): he government of the Republic of Korea has provided a grant of US$10.5 million to finance the scaling up of solid waste and wastewater management, with the aim of improving public health and environmental protection in Laos.
The new funding will support Phase II of the project, which is being carried out from 2023-2027.
The project aims to strengthen capacity to develop green cities, manage and dispose of waste, build awareness and create economic value for waste along with wastewater treatment, and will be carried out in Vientiane and the provinces of Champassak, Savannakhet and Vientiane.
A Memorandum of Understanding to set the second phase of the project in motion was signed in Vientiane last week between the Country Director of the KOICA Office in Laos, Kim Myungjin; Country Representative of the Global Green Growth Institute Laos, Rowan Fraser; and Director General of the Planning Department of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Phayleuth Phonboulom.
Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Ms Phonevanh Outhavong said “The project will strengthen Laos’ ability to reduce and avoid environmental risks from waste and wastewater by accelerating the transition to a circular economy by implementing the 3R principles of recycling, adding value to waste by reusing or reproducing it, and reducing the amount of waste created.”
“The rate of recycling in Vientiane was recorded at just 10 per cent in 2020, due to a lack of awareness and limited waste collection services and waste disposal facilities,” she added.
The project will contribute to the fulfilment of important goals, such as zero carbon emissions by 2050, and ensuring average temperatures do not increase by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius as defined in the Paris Convention agreed to at the COP21 meeting, Phonevanh said.
The global increase in population and economic growth, including in Laos, has led to a rapid increase in production and consumption, resulting in both benefits and undesirable consequences.
In terms of the harmful impacts, most arise from careless production and consumption and lead to waste that is the cause of pollution and greenhouse gases that are released into the air, soil, water and ecosystems, she added.
The Deputy Minister thanked the government and people of South Korea and KOICA for their support to Laos over past years.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment together with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport carried out Phase 1 of the project to build capacity in the treatment of dirty water and waste from 2017-2023.
This project was introduced to improve urban environments in Vientiane and Champassak province and funded by a grant from the Republic of Korea of US$6.5 million.
