Revue de presse du 25 au 29 Novembre 2013

Transcription

1 Comité de Coopération avec le Laos Boîte postale 4791, Vientiane, Laos Tél : (856-21) Télécopie : (856-21) cclvientiane@ccl-laos.org Site : Revue de presse du 25 au 29 Novembre 2013 Vous trouverez ci-joint un choix d'articles publiés au Laos en anglais dans le quotidien "Vientiane Times" et en français dans l'hebdomadaire le "Rénovateur". Bonne réception et bonne lecture, Cordialement, Bureau du CCL à Vientiane

2 Le Rénovateur : - 11e réunion de la Table ronde des partenaires de développement - Le Premier ministre souhaite un contrôle plus strict du budget national - L enseignement supérieur est de moins bonne qualité au Laos que dans les autres pays de l ASEAN - Progrès des femmes et des enfants - Ouverture d'un deuxième centre artisanal Phaeng Mai - L'Union Européenne continuera à soutenir le Laos dans le cadre des OMD Vientiane Times : - Laos to target big-spending international tourists - Archeological, ethnological studies continue in the south - Traditional medicine push in Huaphan - Lao-French Week gets underway - End violence against women, children: PM - Half of 59 mega projects planned have commenced - Gender equality: Still a long way to go - French businesses to boost investment in Laos - Ministries to relocate to city outskirts - Census data to help agriculture - Economic prospects remain bright: IMF - Switzerland, Germany support vocational education reform - Teen pregnancy threatens girls' health - Lao, French airlines to share services - Laos to celebrate 38 years of development

3 11e réunion de la Table ronde des partenaires de développement (Phong Thammavongsa) M. Thongsing Thammavong La 11e réunion de la Table ronde de haut niveau du gouvernement et des partenaires de développement du Laos s est tenue le 19 novembre au Centre national de conférences, à Vientiane, sous a présidence du vice- Premier ministre, ministre des Affaires étrangères, M. Thongloun Sisoulith, et de l administrateur adjoint du Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement (PPNUD),directeur du bureau du NUD pour l Asie et la Pacifique,. Haoliang xu, en présence de lus de 400 participants lao et étrangers, venant du comité central du Parti, des ministères et des administrations provinciales, des ambassades, des organisations internationales gouvernementales et non gouvernementales et d associations sans but lucratif. Le thème de cette réunion était : Accélérer la réalisation des Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement (OMD) et d un développement inclusif. En ouvrant la réunion, le Premier ministre, M. Thongsing Thammavong, a évoqué e succès de la mise en œuvre du 7e plan quinquennal de développement socio- économique ( ),, qui avait permis d assurer la stabilité politique, la sécurité et l ordre social, une croissance économique constante (8,2 % ces trois dernières années),, une nette amélioration des conditions de vie du peuple et la réduction du aux de pauvreté de 7,6 % n ,5 % n Mais le Laos est confronté à des défis pour a réalisation des OMD, notamment en ce qui concerne la lutte contre la pauvreté et la faim, tout particulièrement contre la malnutrition et l insuffisance pondérale des enfants. La santé maternelle s avère également problématique, avec un taux de mortalité maternelle plus levé au Laos que dans les autres pays de a région. Les bombes à sousmunitions constituent aussi un grand défi. «Le gouvernement e la RDP Lao prête une grande attention à la recherche des moyens et des mesures qui lui permettront de relever ces défis», a-t- il souligné. Les mesures qu il a mentionnées visent à maintenir une croissance économique annuelle d au moins 8 %, à instaurer un Etat de droit au Laos et à donner la priorité au développement rural, à l emploi et aux ressources humaines ainsi qu à la préservation de l environnement. On estime que le Laos aura besoin de nouveaux investissements à hauteur de 1,22 milliards de dollars d ici 2015 pour atteindre les OMD, et de plus de 400 millions de dollars pour le renforcement de ses capacités. M. Thongsing Thammavong a appelé les partenaires de développement à accroître leur soutien au Laos et a indiqué qu une aide annuelle de plus de 300 millions de dollars était nécessaire pour financer les mesures permettant d accélérer la réalisation des OMD. L aide publique au développement (APD) en faveur du Laos a atteint 630 millions de dollars en , puis 704 millions de dollars en et 777 millions de dollars n Les débats ont porté en grande partie sur les moyens à mobiliser pour satisfaire aux priorités de développement du pays d ici 2015, tout en préparant les moyens d atteindre les objectifs à long terme. Dans son allocution d ouverture, Haoliang xu, au nom et l administratrice du PNUD et présidente du groupe e développement des Nations Unies,

4 Mme Helen Clark, salué les efforts du gouvernement à accélérer la réalisation des OMD. A cet égard, il a souligné l importance des cinq plans d action inclus dans es documents d information préparés pour la réunion. «J encourage le gouvernement de la RDP Lao et les partenaires internationaux à prendre les mesures nécessaires pour mettre ces plans en action, a-til jouté. M. Thongsing Thammavong a réaffirmé l engagement du gouvernement de mettre en oeuvre des projets de coopération financés par les partenaires de développement du Laos d une manière et transparente, efficace et durable pour bénéficier à tous les Lao. (Rénovateur 25 Novembre 2013) Le Premier ministre souhaite un contrôle plus strict du budget national (Douangta anokoune) Tous les problèmes chroniques qui sont apparus des dernières années dans la gestion des recettes et des dépenses de l Etat doivent être passés au crible. Lors d une réunion élargie de l Organisation de contrôle de l Etat tenue les 18 et 19 novembre, le Premier ministre, M. Thongsing Thammavong, xpliqué : «Dans le passé, l Organisation de contrôle de l Etat a exercé sa fonction en informant l Assemblée nationale et en soumettant à son approbation les résultats de l exécution du budget annuel ainsi que les éléments de la ventilation du budget et les chiffres concernant les programmes d action et les projets. Il a ainsi permis de mieux faire appliquer la loi. Mais il a demandé à l Organisation, qui est responsable du contrôle des opérations économiques et financières de l Etat, de redoubler d efforts pour rendre ce contrôle plus complet. Il faudra en particulier contrôler plus étroitement les recettes des douanes et des taxes, les appels d offres pour les marchés publics. Concernant les dépenses, il faudra mieux analyser la gestion des dépenses budgétaires, rechercher les causes des dépassements budgétaires, et contrôler les dépenses relatives aux investissements publics, aux travaux de construction d infrastructures et autres. Le premier ministre a ajouté: «Dans le passé, l application des lois sur les finances et le budget n était pas rigoureuse. Les dépenses non prévues dans le budget et les dettes augmentaient sans cesse, et les versements dus à l Etat étaient loin d être complet. Bien des chiffres n étaient pas déclarés par la douane ou par les services fiscaux, par exemple pour la vente du bois et des biens immobiliers. La gestion des dépenses n était pas rigoureuse, il y avait beaucoup de gaspillage et les dettes de l Etat ne sont pas réglées. De leur côté, plusieurs entreprises publiques et mixtes n ont pas encore versé complètement ce qu elles doivent à l Etat, tandis que certaines dépenses administratives tournent au gaspillage. Cela affecte sérieusement les revenus annuels plusieurs achats d équipements et de véhicules ont été effectués en violation des règles applicables.»» A cette réunion annuelle ont participé les membres du gouvernement, les gouverneurs des provinces et des responsables des organismes concernés. (Rénovateur 25 Novembre 2013)

5 L enseignement supérieur est de moins bonne qualité au Laos que dans les autres pays de l ASEAN (Somphavanh iramath) Le Dr Phankham Viphavanh Le Laos n a pas assez d enseignants au regard des besoins des établissements éducatifs, et les compétences des étudiants ne sont pas adaptées aux besoins du développement socio- économique du pays. Il faut également améliorer la pédagogie pour égaler celle des autres pays de la région et du monde et pour réparer les travailleurs à soutenir a concurrence qui résultera de l instauration de la Communauté économique de l ASEAN en 015. Lors d une récente réunion sur l enseignement supérieur au Laos, le ministre de l Education et des sports, le Dr Phankham Viphavanh, a ainsi déclaré «L enseignement supérieur s est développé ces dernières années mais il reste des problèmes à résoudre, notamment du fait que les administrateurs des établissements d enseignement supérieur ne sont pas assez bien informés sur la stratégie nationale de réforme de l éducation. Pour que celle-ci soit menée à bien, aucun de ses aspects ne doit être négligé, qu il s agisse de l amélioration des infrastructures éducatives, du matériel pédagogique, de la formation des enseignants etc. Mais il ne faut pas croire que les anciennes méthodes doivent toujours être remplacées par des nouvelles. Les anciennes méthodes doivent être abandonnées lorsqu elles ne sont pas satisfaisantes, et conservées pour celles qui ont encore bonnes. La réforme de l éducation doit répondre aux besoins du développement national, maintenant et à l avenir. Ce n est pas encore le cas des études effectuées dans les universités publiques ou rivées, et le Laos ne dispose pas d une main-d œuvre adaptée aux priorités du développement. Il faut abandonner les filières d enseignement qui ne répondent pas aux nouveaux besoins, et au contraire favoriser celles qui peuvent former les travailleurs et les experts dont a besoin le pays. A partir de 2015, nous ferons partie de la Communauté économique de l ASEAN et nous devons nous y préparer en améliorant notre système éducatif pour le porter au même niveau que dans les autres pays de l ASEAN et du monde. Pour l année scolaire , plus de étudiants sont inscrits dans les établissements de formation professionnelle et d enseignement supérieur, publics et privés, mais la formation qu ils reçoivent ne correspond pas toujours aux besoins du pays.en principe, Les professeurs de enseignement supérieur ne doivent pas assurer plus de 12 heures de cours par semaine, à des groupes limités à 30 étudiants. Mais il arrive souvent que ces chiffres soient dépassés. En fait il n y a pas assez de professeurs. La qualité de leur enseignement n est pas toujours satisfaisante non plus. Or la pédagogie est capitale pour assurer la qualité des connaissances acquises par les étudiants. Le développement de l enseignement supérieur doit s insérer dans la stratégie de réforme de l éducation nationale selon les directives du Parti t de l Etat. (Rénovateur 25 Novembre 2013)

6 Progrès des femmes et des enfants (Phetphoxay èngpaseuth) Pour atteindre les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement (OMD), il faudra réaliser des progrès dans la condition de la femme et de l enfant, et notamment améliorer leur accès aux services sociaux, éducatifs et sanitaires. Telle est l une des priorités du Comité national pour le développement rural et la lutte contre la pauvreté, selon ce qu a déclaré le vice- Premier ministre de a RDP Lao, M. Axang Laoly, lors de la réunion annuelle de a Commission nationale pour la mère et l enfant qui s est ouverte officiellement la semaine dernière Vientiane en présence de sa présidente, Mme Khémphèng Pholséna, ministre auprès du Premier ministre, et de nombreux représentants de divers ministères et des comités locaux concernés du ays.. Axang Laoly a souligné que le principe de l égalité homme- femme, les droits e l enfant, ainsi que les problèmes des violences subies par les femmes et du travail illégal des enfants devaient sans cesse être rappelés pour lutter contre les inégalités sociales, la déscolarisation des enfants et la mortalité maternelle et infantile. Il a également rappelé que les enfants des zones rurales éloignées pouvaient difficilement bénéficier des services de santé et que beaucoup souffraient de malnutrition. En outre, les bombes à sous- munitions restent une menace pour les habitants des zones rurales. Pour remédier à ces problèmes, a déclaré M. Axang Laoly, la Commission nationale et les commissions provinciales pour la mère et l enfant devront coopérer avec le ministère l éducation et des sports et celui de la santé ainsi qu avec les organisations concernées, notamment l Union des femmes lao et Union de la jeunesse populaire révolutionnaire lao, pour atteindre les OMD qui concernent la mère et l enfant (OMD 2, 3, 4 et 5). Elles devront coordonner leurs efforts pour mettre en œuvre le plan de lutte contre les violences faites aux femmes, en liaison avec leur travail pour la reconnaissance de familles exemplaires dans les domaines de la culture et du développement. Les participants ont fait le point sur la mise en œuvre du plan national sur le travail de la mère et de l enfant pour la période et ont approuvé le nouveau programme pour Ils ont également examiné le plan d action national de lutte contre les violences faites aux femmes prévu pour la période , qui sera prochainement présenté au Premier ministre pour approbation. (Rénovateur 25 Novembre 2013)

7 Ouverture d'un deuxième centre artisanal Phaeng Mai (Sonesavanh Souliyaphack) Le deuxième centre artisanal Phaeng Mai a été inauguré le 15 novembre, dans le quartier Phontong, arrondissement de Chanthaboury, par l'ancien président du Front lao d'édification nationale, le général Sisavath Kèobounphanh, et le vice-ministre de l'information, de la culture et du tourisme, M. Bouangeun Xaphouvong, en présence de la fondatrice du centre, M me Viengkham Nanthavongdouangsy, et de nombreux invités. Son ouverture correspondait avec le 20 e anniversaire de la création du premier centre Phaeng Mai, en Depuis lors, le mot d'ordre de l'équipe du centre a toujours été : «Créons et développons ensemble». Le centre Phaeng Mai tient à conserver les traditions ancestrales de l'art du tissage de la soie, dont la technique se transmet de génération en génération, qu'il s'agisse des motifs ou des couleurs, toutes exclusivement naturelles. Il offre aussi à toute personne intéressée, lao ou étrangère, la possibilité de venir se familiariser voire même d'apprendre l'art du tissage, le temps d'une journée, d'un mois ou plus. Certains approfondissent des recherches sur les soieries du Laos. Les clients, en passant commande, peuvent aussi apporter leur propre dessin, qui sera réalisé sur le métier grâce au styliste du centre, qui doit transcrire le motif souhaité sur une fiche technique pour que la tisserande puisse réaliser la pièce demandée. Ces créations représentent un certain coût. Elles sont très recherchées par les clients, particulièrement les Japonais, qui sont fidèles au centre depuis plus de 10 ans et qui achètent 90 % de sa production. Les produits du centre artisanal Phaeng Mai ont été introduits sur le marché japonais en 1993 grâce au soutien de l'organisation japonaise du commerce extérieur (JETRO). Des experts japonais on t participé à la création de la société Lao- Yamaki, spécialisée dans la chemiserie pour homme. Ils prennent part également à l'écriture d'un livre sur les méthodes de tissage lao. Il y a quelques années, une tenture en soie tissée au centre Phaeng Mai a remporté un prix attribué par l'unesco. Le premier centre est situé dans le quartier Nongbouathong Tay, arrondissement de Sikhottabong, et le deuxième dans le quartier Phontong, à Vientiane. (Rénovateur 25 Novembre 2013)

8 L'Union Européenne continuera à soutenir le Laos dans le cadre des OMD (Douangta Manokoune) L'Union européenne (UE) continuera d'aider le Laos à atteindre les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement (OMD) d'ici 2015 et à être rayé de la liste des pays les moins avancés d'ici Les représentants de l'ue et de ses États membres ont tenu une conférence de presse à Vientiane, le 19 novembre, en marge de la 11 e réunion de la Table ronde de haut niveau du gouvernement lao et de ses partenaires de développement. L'UE a déjà affirmé son engagement d'aider les 48 pays les moins avancés à travers le monde, dont le Laos. Le chef de l'unité de coordination Asie-Pacifique de la Commission européenne, M. Jorge de la Caballeria, a déclaré aux journalistes des médias locaux que l'ue et ses États membres avaient réitérés leur volonté d'aider le Laos : «Nous allons maintenir notre présence et notre assistance dans le pays, même dans les moments difficiles que connaît l'europe. Pour travailler et aider le pays, il est essentiel à nos yeux d'associer à notre action tous les acteurs du Laos, y compris le secteur privé, la société civile et les ONG.» L'UE n'est pas encore en mesure de préciser le montant de l'aide qu'elle va accorder au Laos pour la période Cette aide est actuellement de 16 millions d'euros par an. Dans une déclaration commune publiée lors de la réunion, les partenaires européens de développement ont indiqué qu'ils avaient déjà engagé environ 55 0 millions de dollars pour soutenir le septième plan quinquennal de développement socio-économique du gouvernement ( ), ce qui représente plus de 30 % de l'aide publique au développement perçue actuellement par le gouvernement lao. La quasi-totalité de l'aide européenne est fournie sous forme de subventions. Selon cette déclaration, il est à prévoir que la forte croissance économique que connaît le Laos va se poursuivre à moyen terme, mais environ 1,5 million de Lao sont encore dans la pauvreté et une grande partie de la population vit d'une manière précaire, proche du seuil de pauvreté. «Il y a des inégalités croissantes entre riches et pauvres, entre zones rurales et urbaines, indique la déclaration, et la vie continue d'être particulièrement difficile pour la majorité des familles dans les régions rurales. La pauvreté se traduit par la malnutrition persistante des enfants et des taux élevés de mortalité maternelle. Nous nous félicitons donc de la discussion franche et substantielle que nous avons eue aujourd'hui sur la façon dont nous pouvons, en partenariat, relever efficacement ces défis et accélérer la réalisation des OMD, en particulier ceux qui semblent hors d'atteinte.» L'UE a également recommandé que la croissance économique au Laos soit inclusive et atteigne les groupes cibles pour contribuer à réduire la pauvreté. Le représentant du ministère allemand de la Coopération économique et du développement, le Dr Andreas Pfeil, a déclaré que la table ronde avait obtenu de bons résultats, y compris sur les difficultés macroéconomiques. «Nous avons également eu un échange franc et ouvert sur le rôle de la société civile. Cette ouverture affermit les liens entre le gouvernement du Laos et ses parte-

9 naires de développement. Nous remercions le gouvernement du Laos pour nous avoir donné l'occasion de discuter de ces questions d'une manière aussi ouverte. Nous sommes encouragés par la présentation du prochain plan de développement socioéconomique. Nous nous félicitons particulièrement de constater qu'il mettra l'accent sur le développement des compétences et la formation professionnelle parce que la formation professionnelle est une priorité de la coopération lao-allemande.»participaient également à la conférence de presse le chargé d'affaires de l'ue au Laos, M. Michel Goffin, l'ambassadeur d'allemagne au Laos, M. Robert von Rimscha, et l'ambassadeur de France au Laos, M. Yves Carmona. (Rénovateur 25 Novembre 2013)

10 Laos to target big-spending international tourists (By Times reporters) Archeological, ethnological studies continue in the south (By Times reporters) The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism's Heritage Department and L'Ecole Francaise d'extreme-orient (EFEO) will join forces to continue archaeological and ethnological heritage studies in the central and southern provinces. An agreement pertaining to project implementation was reached on Friday in Vientiane, signed by the department's Deputy Director General Ms Chanphone Xayalath, and EFEO representative in Laos Ms Christine Hawixbrock. Laos is seeking to attract more international tourists who would spend more money during their time in the country than regional visitors from other Southeast Asian nations. Public and private sector spokespeople raised the issue at a meeting on the Lao tourism industry in Vientiane last week. While the number of tourists visiting the country has increased in recent years the bulk have been short-term visitors from neighbouring countries, in particular from Thailand, the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism's Department of Tourism Marketing Director General, Mr Saly Phimphinith, told Vientiane Times on Friday. More than 3.3 million tourists visited Laos last year, injecting US$513.5 million into the economy. But 2.8 million of them, making up around 84 percent total arrivals, were from the Southeast Asian region and spent an average of one to three nights in the country. Last year, there were around 1 million visiting Thais who spent just one night in the country with an average expenditure of US$20 per person, generating a total US$21 million in revenue. Mr Saly said despite regional tourists accounting for 84 percent of last year's arrivals they only generated US$238.3 million in revenue. There were just 470,000 international visitors in the same period, but they made the country US$275.1 million. He said the average tourist spent US$156 in Laos, while in some other countries it was around US$800-1,000 per person. He also said tourist expenditure could be improved by upgrading facilities like accommodation, restaurants, transport, tourism sites, access roads, public utilities, and information services. While facilities have been improved in the main cities like Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Champassak, Mr Saly said towns experiencing new interest from tourists could not keep up with demand, and named Xieng Khuang, Khammuan, Luang Namtha, Oudomxay, and Bokeo as areas finding themselves short on hotels and guesthouses. Mr Saly said accommodation in Luang Prabang was sufficient most of the time but could not meet demand in the high season. He also said the periodic nature of arrivals made it difficult to integrate entertainment like traditional art performances into tour programmes. Mr Saly said Laos was hoping to attract groups of tourists because groups were easier to manage and tended to be more respectful of the national customs of the country. (Vientiane Times 25 November 2013)

11 Ms Chanphone Xayalath ( right ), and Ms Christine Hawixbrock shake hands after signing the agreement. The four-year cooperation project, which commences immediately following the signing of the contract, involves three separate programmes. Entitled: Mekong Basin Archeology in central and southern parts of Laos, the programme aims to study the ancient sites of Vat Phou in Champassak province, including the temples and the ancient urban community in the pre-, and Angkor Wat eras. Besides the area listed by UNES- CO as a world heritage site, the study will also focus on the ancient town of Nong Heuathong in Savannakhet province and artefacts discovered in the area. The second programme focuses on ethnology, including a study of indigenous peoples in Savannakhet, Saravan, Champassak, Xekong, and Attapeu provinces. The third programme will relate to the establishment of ancient Lao inscription, which will include registration and printing of ancient Lao inscription as well as the registration and printing of other ancient inscriptions in Khom (Khmer) and Sanskrit discovered in Laos. EFEO is a grand French institution established in 1900, and depends on the Ministry of Superior Education and French Research for funding. The cooperation project between the department and EFEO is a continuation of the previous contract reached by the two parties in March 6, 2003 which was previously renewed in July 27, According to the newly signe d agreement, EFEO will provide technical expertise to the project, while the Lao side will facilitate the activities of French experts regarding travel documents so that they can perform regular studies a t the central and provincial levels. In the framework of the last programme, the Heritage Department will provide one staff member who will work part time with EFEO, with the institute to cover the salary, traveling fees and other expenses of the person. As the main party who will implement the project, EFEO committed to sourcing the funding and necessary equipment to support the success of the project. (Vientiane Times 25 November 2013) Traditional medicine push in Huaphan (By Xayxana Leukai) A Vietnamese company is seeking to open a traditional medicine business in Huaphan province to give local residents more treatment options. Huaphan provincial Health Department Deputy Director, Dr Thongbay Thavisouk, told Vientiane Times the company had already submitted a proposal to the province for consideration. The investment would directly support the policy of the Ministry of Health on promoting the use of traditional medicine alongside modern medicine, Dr Thongbay sai d. The company is expected to first set up a pharmacy in the province before carrying out a medicinal plant survey and building a traditional medicine factory in years to come. It is yet to say how many hectares the survey would cover or how much land would be needed for the buildings. Dr Thongbay said the project would be in keeping with the sustainable use of forests and medicinal plants could be replanted after harvesting. The department has not yet carried out a survey to determine how many species of medicinal plant are in

12 the province but estimates there are more than 100. Dr Thongbay said the investment would be profitable as traditional medicine was accepted in the area and the number of people using it was rising. The province plans to train medical staff in traditional medicine development. In addition, provincial and district hospitals will be encouraged to use traditional treatments. Dr Thongbay said the nearby Vietnamese border provided access to a convenient export market. Along with encouraging investment in traditional medicine, Dr Thongbay invited Lao and foreign investors to build a modern pharmaceutical factory in the province. Huaphan does not have a pharmaceutical factory. The first factory built in the area would be prioritised and supported by the provincial gove Lao-French Week gets underway (By Sisouphan Amphonephong) The inaugural Lao-French Week has kicked off today in Vientiane and is set to feature seminars, performances and competitions to promote cultural exchange in coming days. Vientiane Deputy Mayor, Mr Saythong Keodouangdy, held a press conference last week to announce the details of the celebration, which runs from today until Friday. Mr Saythong said he expected the festival would increase the attractiveness of Vientiane to French investors as well as boost the city's role on the world stage and promote Laos as a tourist destination. The festival gets underway today with a welcome party hosted by Vientiane Mayor Mr Soukan Mahalath at the National Convention Centre. A more official opening for the Lao-French Week will be held at the centre tomorrow with rnment under investment laws. The government is currently focusing on improving education, agriculture, communication and health infrastructure in the province. Investors that open a hospital in Laos receive a five-year tax exemption under the new investment laws, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment's Investment Promotion Department. They also receive a 15- year exemption on land rental fees if the hospital is built on state-owned land. Institute of Traditional Medicine Deputy Director General, Associate Professor Dr Kongmany Sydara, said it was a good time for investors to go into business. Some local businesspeople have already cooperated with the institute to develop traditional medicine. (Vientiane Times 25 November 2013) Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad in attendance to launch a trade exhibition show. Seminars on investment in Laos, living happy in the city and growth in Southeast Asia will begin at the centre on Wednesday while a petanque competition will run throughout the week at the National University of Laos, with competitors vying for the French Ambassador's Cup. Performances will be held each night this week at the National Culture Hall to celebrate the cultures of both Laos and France and Lao- ITECC is set to play host to a Lao-French Film Festival on November 20 from 2pm to 6pm. The week will end with a gala dinner at the French Ambassador's Residence, beginning at 7.30pm on Friday night. Most events are free and open to the public. (Vientiane Times 25 November 2013)

13 End violence against women, children: PM (By Times Reporters) Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong has called for Lao people to join together in stamping out violence against women and children. Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong. Mr Thongsing made the statement in a national address for yesterday's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. I call on everyone in the Party, the government, the Lao Front for National Construction, other mass organisations... and the entire Lao nation to break through with their thinking in order to eliminate the shortcomings of some people's attitudes and perception of gender equality, he said. Discrimination against women is the main cause of violence against women. Mr Thongsing highlighted the government's persistence in creating jobs for women, especially those who were multi-ethnic. He said construction and defence were industries in which women were making headway. Laos has laws protecting the rights of women and children and is a signatory to the relevant international conventions. Mr Thongsing said the nation's socio-economic development was helping improve the rights of women and that poverty reduction schemes and the UN Millennium Development Goals addressing gender inequality, family violence, and human trafficking were having an impact. The government is currently drafting new laws on the prevention of violence against women and on trials for children. Mr Thongsing said development of districts and villages would make families safer and reduce instances of domestic violence against women. More than 2,300 villages around the country have been evaluated against development criteria. This is a new stage in addressing the old attitude, perception and superstition regarding gender equality and family violence, Mr Thongsing said. We are building new thinking that perceives violence against women and children as terrible and unacceptable behaviour. The UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is an occasion for governments, international organisations and non-governmental organisations to raise public awareness of violence against women. It has been observed on November 25 each year since Mr Thongsing also called for improving institutions designed to prevent violence against women and children and said there were plans in the budget to do this. He said it was important to help victims of abuse, raise public awareness and to punish the perpetrators. (Vientiane Times 26 November 2013)

14 Half of 59 mega projects planned have commenced (By Times Reporters) About half of the 59 national mega projects under the government plan for have commenced construction despite the country's financial difficulties. Luang Prabang International Airport is among the mega projects planned in Laos. An official in charge from the Ministry of Planning and Investment told Vientiane Times on Monday that the projects under construction are mostly related to infrastructure including roads, airports and other public facilities. The official said some projects may be delayed until beyond the period of due to the country's financial difficulties in the wake of revenue shortfall last fiscal year. A high speed railway linking Vientiane and the Lao-Chinese border over a distance of 421km is amongst those in the list of 59 projects. Minister of Public Works and Transport Sommad Pholsena was speaking to Lao media during an open meeting held between government cabinet members and provincial governors in Vientiane on September. He said there are no obstacles to the planned building of the high speed railway, although the governments of Laos and China are in the process of negotiations on the project. However Mr Sommad was unable to say exactly when construction would begin on the US$7 billion railway. The construction of international airports in Huaphan, Attapeu and Luang Prabang provinces are also included in the 59 projects. The two projects commenced construction earlier this year, aiming to facilitate trade, investment and tourism in the northern and southern regions of Laos. The two projects are being built by the Vietnamese company, Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group. The company will be refunded through tax exemptions equivalent to the cost of construction. The cost of the international airport in Huaphan province is about US$80 million and the airport is expected to be complete in Meanwhile Attapeu International Airport will be built at a cost of about US$45 million. During the open meeting in September this year, the government decided to include two additional projects on the list of national mega projects for These included the construction of the new National Assembly(NA)conference hall to replace the existing one which was built in the 1990s at That Luang Esplanade in Vientiane as well as the construction of a road linking Huaphan province and the Lao-Vietnam border. The cost of the construction of each project has been estimated at US$100 million. The new NA conference hall is currently in the process of survey and design. However, construction could begin as early as the start of next year with completion possible sometime in The government has delegated the responsibility to the Ministry of Planning and Investment to work in cooperation with the relevant sectors to ensure the mega projects can be operated as scheduled. The government also called for the relevant sectors to mobilise funding from sectors within Laos and overseas to launch the mega projects. The move is aimed to push forward the continued growth of the Lao economy and national development. The revenue shortfall has forced the government to impose measures to respond to the needs of the country's budget expenditure. The government wants to ensure that development projects can continue as planned, posing no

15 impacts to the growth of the country's economy and poverty reduction efforts. The new measures will include issuing bonds and borrowing money from various sources to pump into the national economy. Another Gender equality: Still a long way to go (By Times Reporters) measure is to tighten revenue collection measures, particularly in relation to the timber export process and the importation of vehicles. (Vientiane Times 26 November 2013) The majority of women's economic contributions remain undervalued by society and women's employment is highly vulnerable. Although data is not available, anecdotal evidence shows that many younger Lao women migrate to Thailand, largely undocumented, to get jobs as domestic workers or in the service sectors, according to a recent report from the UN and the Lao government. The report said the vulnerability of Lao women workers is due to poor education, limited opportunities and less access to resources and financial services compared to men. This applies across all sectors of employment and across all types of jobs, and is especially pronounced amongst the poor. Such barriers push many women into informal sectors and small-scale enterprises to supplement their family incomes, in addition to their work on farms and in the home. Women entrepreneurs may face difficulties in dealing with cumbersome registration procedures, due to limited education and time. Thus women tend to work in lowskilled jobs, rarely in management positions. The report said this explains the much greater numbers of women in elementary occupations, as service and sales staff and unpaid workers for the family. Conversely, much smaller numbers of women hold jobs requiring education, skills and training, such as managerial and professional positions, machine operation and craft work. The proportion of employers who are female is still small, at 23 percent. The most common types of women-owned businesses are involved in small-scale retail activities, vending, textiles, guesthouses or restaurants. Offfarm activities undertaken by women to earn cash income include silkworm-raising, weaving and embroidery for household consumption, local and export markets. Women's enterprises are more likely to be home based or in the marketplace rather than mobile. Only five percent of female-owned enterprises use electricity or vehicles as opposed to 48 percent of male owned ones. Female entrepreneurs report that focusing on household and personal duties, which lead to a lack of other abilities, are a hindrance to starting up businesses, in addition to the cost of business licensing. Female owned-firms tend to be smaller than male-owned ones but they also grow at a faster rate, offering high potential for the country's overall development. Newly registered firms owned by women reached 54.8 percent of the total compared to only 43.9 percent in A 2004 survey identified the different needs for women and men to start businesses. Women need training in fields such as marketing, business management and trading, whereas men identified needs for training in mechanical and technical skills, marketing and livestock husbandry. (Vientiane Times 26 November 2013)

16 French businesses to boost investment in Laos (By Times Reporters) Laos will green-light French investors establishing businesses in the country and producing goods for export to markets in Asean and countries like China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, the deputy prime minister has said. Mr Somsavat Lengsavad and other top officials examine a stall at the trade exhibition. Deputy Prime Minister Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, who is in charge of economic affairs, gave the message at the official opening of Lao-French Week yesterday in Vientiane. Encouraging businesspeople and French investors to come and invest in Laos is part of the further strengthening of cooperation efforts and traditionally friendly ties between the two countries, he said. Mr Somsavat briefed attendees on the direction and policy for socio-economic development in Laos, which is aimed at graduating from least developed country status by 2020 and linking with the regional and global economy. He also spoke about the expansion of cooperation between Laos and other regional countries, especially in the field of trade and investment, which is a key driver for socioeconomic development. Laos' economy saw robust growth of 8 percent per annum from 2009 to 2012 along with increasing interest from foreign investors aiming to study and research potential business operations in Laos. Mr Somsavat said the government had set an annual target of at least 8 percent GDP growth, together with comprehensive reforms to broaden the country's productive base. This will be done through, amongst other things, economic diversification, human capital investment, enhanced labour productivity and a greater inclusion of vulnerable and geographically remote groups. Mr Somsavat said Laos and France had further strengthened their cooperation efforts and friendly ties over an extended period, especially in the exchange of visits by top officials over the years. The government of Laos highly values further strengthening cooperation efforts in the fields of education, health, culture and tourism. Lao-French Week, which began yesterday and will end this Friday, features seminars, performances and competitions to promote cultural exchange. The festival will also increase the attractiveness of Vientiane to French investors as well as boost the city's role on the world stage and promote Laos as a tourist destination. The festival got underway yesterday with a welcome party hosted by Vientiane Mayor Mr Soukanh Mahalath at the National Convention Centre. During the opening of the festival, Mr Somsavat and other top officials from the two nations took the opportunity to explore a trade exhibition at the centre. Seminars on investment in Laos, living happily in the city, and growth in Southeast Asia will begin today while a petanque competition will run throughout the week at the National University of Laos, with competitors vying for the French Ambassador's Cup. Laos and France first established diplomatic relations in Since then, the French government has provided grant assistance through the French Development Agency and the French Embassy in Laos, strengthening six sectors including urban development, clean water supplies, cultural and social affairs, health, agriculture and rural develop ment, and energy and the environment. Presiding over the festival was

17 Mr Thierry Mariani, head of the French trade delegation, while French Ambassador Ministries to relocate to city outskirts (By Somsack Pongkhao) Ten ministries and other public offices are set to be relocated to the Dongmarkkhai area in Vientiane's Xaythany district under the capital's urban development master plan, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The move is aimed at addressing rising traffic congestion in Vientiane and shifting development interest from the city centre to the new site, just 20km away. Land authorities have allocated 200ha of land in Dongmarkkhai to accommodate the relocation. The 200ha does not include land already pegged out for roads in the vicinity, increasing the site's total area, according to Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Land Administration Department Director General, Mr Siphandone Sihavong. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of Justice have already organised a ground-breaking ceremony to commence construction on their new buildings. Other ministries are currently sourcing funding for their relocation despite land plots already being available for their projects. Deputy Government spokesperson, Mr Phetsakhone Luang-Aphay, told Vientiane Times on Monday he was unable to confirm the exact date the next departments or ministries would relocate as it would depend on the conditions and financial capacity of the government. Several public offices, departments and organisations in Vientiane are also set to be relocated to Dongmarkkhai including the Vientiane Natural Resources and Environment Department. Land officials said the ground-breaking ceremony for the new office of the department would take place soon after it reached an exchange deal with a local company to operate the project. Under the agreement, the company will spend about 20 billion kip to construct the to Laos Mr Yves Carmona was also in attendance. (Vientiane Times 27 November 2013) three-storey building with a completion date set for The company will be allowed to develop the current site of the department. Since the government unveiled the plan for the relocation of public offices to Dongmarkkhai, public interests in buying land plots has shifted to the area. Some people want to buy parcels of land and hold them until they can get a good price from buyers in the future. This speculation has driven the rising price of land in the area. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Bank of Lao PDR will be relocated to Nongbeuk-Nongbuathong in Sikhottabong district, where a new road is being built. The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism is relocating to the 450 Year Road. The construction of the new ministry building comes following a deal with the Dao- Heuang Group, under which the company will develop the former Lao National Tourism Administration building on Lane Xang Avenue. Under the agreement, the Dao- Heuang Group will build a new five-storey building for the ministry on a 2ha site on the 450 Year Road at an estimated cost of 100 billon kip. The groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place in April this year and is set for completion in Other public offices have already been moved from the city centre, such as the Vientiane Police Headquarters, which has relocated to Kamphengmeuang Road near Lao-ITECC. The government is developing new roads and other facilities to accommodate the relocation of public offices. Vientiane is a small city with a population of less than 800,000, but the number of registered vehicles exceeds 577,890. (Vientiane Times 27 November 2013)

18 Census data to help agriculture (By Times Reporters) New analysis of data from the agricultural census will help the government and its development partners create better policies and strategies around poverty, according to a senior agriculture official. Representatives from re levant sectors of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) met in Vientiane yesterday to discuss five case studies and gender profiles from the country's second agriculture census. Case studies were undertaken on livestock and poultry; farm households; land use, cropping pattern changes and agricultural performance; forestry, aquaculture and fisheries; and status of infrastructure and development constrains in villages. Ministry Planning and Cooperation Department Deputy Director General, Mr Savanh Hanephom, said after data was collected in the field, a report was produced and officially revealed in June last year and dissemination of the results had been completed at the start of this month. He said the results would help to facilitate development in the agriculture sector, particularly through government policies on promoting investment. FAO Representative in Laos, Mr Purushottam Mundbhary, said information from the census would help to improve existing agricultural statistics and information structures in databases in Laos. He said discussion on the five case studies as well as on gender profiles would help the sustainability of the census project and would help improve statistic and data collection nationwide. The discussion group aims to support government efforts to ensure more information is available to policymakers. Most Lao people still rely on agriculture for consumption and for their income and accurate statistics on the sector are necessary for development. The Lao agriculture census covered all 143 districts in the country. The census had three components: data about village infrastructure from every village head in the country; basic data on agriculture from all households in the country; and detailed agricultural data from a sample of farm households. The census was supported by AusAID, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the French Agency for Development, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the German Agency for International Development. FAO run the project. (Vientiane Times 27November 2013) Economic prospects remain bright: IMF (By Ekaphone Phouthonesy) Lao economic prospects remain favourable in the medium term despite the government's revenue shortfall, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

19 The Lao cement factory in Vangvieng district, Vientiane province. The cement industry is helping to grow the national economy. -- File photo The international financial institute made the comment this week following completion of its annual Article Four Consultation with the Bank of Lao PDR earlier this month. According to a media release from the IMF, the medium-term economic growth and development prospects of Laos remain favourable thanks to robust natural resource exports and post-world Trade Organisation (WTO) accession expansion in the non-resource sectors. Th e industry sector saw 10.9 percent growth over the first six months of the last fiscal year, accounting for 30.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), while the service sector saw 9.8 percent growth, accounting for 38.4 percent of GDP. Agriculture grew 3.1 percent, makin g up just 25.5 percent of GDP. Rapid growth in industry and services has been brought on by an inflow of investment funds in resource and non-resource sectors, which the IMF attributed to a boost in investor confidence regarding economic development policy following WTO acceptance earlier this year. The IMF said the country's accession to the WTO should facilitate greater economic diversification in the landlocked country. At present, the economy of Laos is based on the resource sector, including mining and hydropower. Economists have urged Laos to boost investment in non-resource sectors to sustain economic growth. The institutes encouraged Laos to further enhance its business climate, upgrade economic and financial statistics and improve health and education infrastructure, which would contribute to more inclusive and broader-based growth and support the authorities' goal of attaining middle-income status by The IMF said the recent decision by the Lao government to cut the 760,000 kip (US$95) monthly living allowance for state employees and suspend some public investment would reduce the headline fiscal deficit to 4 percent of GDP in The drop in the fiscal deficit will reduce pressure on the government to maintain macro-economic stability and create more favourable conditions for the country to achieve its macro-economic development goals in The IMF said despite tightened fiscal and monetary policy, the current account deficit of Laos was expected to remain high. The institute also said credit expansion in Laos saw rapid growth over the past years, which could make banks' asset quality deteriorate. I f policies remain expansionary, near-term pressures on the balance of payments and inflation could escalate, further depleting international reserves and putting at risk the sustainability of future growth and the authorities' objective to achieve middle-inc ome status by 2020, it said. The IMF recommended Laos replenish its international reserves, build up fiscal buffers and guide the economy toward a soft landing. It also described the need for further efforts to strengthen financial supervision, improve compliance with macro prudential regulation, and raise banks' capital. (Vientiane Times 28 November 2013)

20 Switzerland, Germany support vocational education reform (By Phaisythong Chandara) Switzerland and Germany have committed to co-financing the new Vocational Education and Training in Laos (VELA) programe at a cost of US$20.6 million. The agreement to provide the support was signed yesterday in Vientiane by the Regional Director of the Swiss Development Cooperation Ms Ruth Huber and the Country Director of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Dr Petra Mutlu. Dr Petra Mutlu ( left ) shakes hands with Ms Ruth Huber after the signing ceremony. According to a media release, the new programme will be implemented by GIZ and will run until It will contribute to the reform process and establishment of vocational schools to meet the demands of the labour market. The key objective of the programme is to improve the vocational education system in Laos, especially in helping to ensure more girls and children from ethnic minorities have access to skills training. Vocational training is the key for Laos to grow and develop sustainably, the German Ambassador to Laos, Mr Robert von Rimscha, said. Through practical education, young Lao people will find decent jobs and generate more personal income which will help the country to overcome the status of being a least developed country by Vocational training is already in demand as about 50,000 Lao students enroll into technical and vocational schools each year. VE- LA seeks to further improve the vocational education and training system through reforms and collaboration between the state and the private sector. Partnerships will enable schools to equip students with highquality skills and introduce more practiceoriented training approaches. Young people from rural areas who currently do not have access to vocational education and training will especially benefit from VELA as it will provide 10,000 vocational training scholarships and 2,000 apprenticeship positions in companies, according to the media release. As we all know the Asean Economic Community will come into being in 2015 and the open borders for skilled workers will increase competition for existing and future jobs. Many Lao people, especially the most disadvantaged, such as ethnic minorities, risk remaining stuck in structural poverty, Ms Huber said. This is a concern that needs to be addressed, to offer opportunities for young people, to create jobs, and to qualify young people for those jobs. 11 integrated vocational education schools will receive direct support to allow more disadvantaged students, especially girls and ethnic minorities from rural areas, to go to school and acquire vocational skills. Funds will cover enrolment, the cost for marginalised students, and operational costs for schools. In addition to the German Ambassador, attending the signing ceremony was the Director General of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ms Sisomboun Ouna vong, while high ranking representatives from ministries involved in VELA were also present. (Vientiane Times 29November 2013)