Planning and Investment Deputy Minister of Laos Phonevanh Outhavong. — Vientiane Times/ANN
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): The government of Germany has provided more than 24 million euros to finance Phase 4 of a rural development programme and the vocational education financial support programme in Laos.
18 million euros will be allocated to the fourth phase of the rural development project, which will help to improve connectivity, adaptation to climate change, and socio-economic development in Huaphan and Phongsaly provinces.
A capacity building programme worth 600,000 euros will ensure the sustainability of the project.
The vocational education financial support programme worth 6 million euros will support cooperation between vocational education institutions and businesses throughout the country to provide controlled training and create workers who meet the needs of the labour market.
Both projects will be implemented through the KfW Bank.
The German government has provided additional funding of 38 million euros to be used for the implementation of existing projects and programmes.
The details of project financing were reported during a meeting between the governments of Laos and Germany to discuss the achievements, challenges and future direction of Lao-German cooperation.
Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Phonevanh Outhavong expressed her gratitude to Germany for the country’s long-term support.
“We highly appreciate the technical and financial support of the government of Germany that focuses on rural development, natural resource management and sustainable economic development, which has contributed to the implementation of Laos’ 9th 5-year National Economic and Social Development Plan,” she said.
“I am aware and would like to express my gratitude for the additional funding of 38 million euros which will be used for the implementation of existing projects and programmes,” she added.
The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Laos, Mrs Annette Knobloch, said “In 2022, the government of Germany decided to continue bilateral cooperation with Laos.
This decision is an important vision as well as the reason why both governments will celebrate the 60th anniversary of cooperation in the coming year. Currently Germany has provided assistance to Laos amounting to more than 570 million euros.”
Meeting participants also discussed cooperation in four priority areas, namely the protection of natural resources, sustainable economic development, creating a world without hunger through reforming the nutrition system, and maintaining peace and harmony in society.
Assistance provided by the German government is implemented through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the KfW bank, and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources.
After the meeting ended, the delegation from Germany went to visit the project in Vientiane and Luang Prabang province to monitor the progress of the implementation of the activities and the success of the implementation.
The project is based on a long-standing partnership between the two governments.
The representatives from both countries appreciated the good friendship and cooperation which has led to the success of the project and increased cooperation obligations for the sustainable development of the Lao.
