VIENTIANE, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Lao government officials and development partners met Wednesday in capital Vientiane to discuss medium term priorities for trade and private sector development in the country.
Held by the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the 11th Trade and Private Sector Working Group (TPSWG) saw the attendance of more than 100 participants with the chair of Lao Minister of Industry and Commerce Khemmani Pholsena and co-chair of European Union's Ambassador Leo Faber and German Ambassador to Laos Michael Grau.
The meeting covered a wide range of specific issues affecting competitiveness of the private sector and how to maximize opportunities emerging from increasing integration with the regional economy by presenting findings of two research projects.
The two projects include Cross-Border Impacts of Thailand's SEZs on Laos' SEZs and Collaboration in the Midst of Regional Integration carried out by a national research team and Firm productivity and perception on investment climate constraints based on results of the latest Enterprise Survey conducted by the World Bank.
The TPSWG is one of 10 sector working groups under the Round Table Process and is the main forum for policy dialogue between the government of Laos and its development partners.
The other nine sector working groups are for health, education, governance, macroeconomics, infrastructure, illicit drug control, UXO, agriculture and rural development, and natural resource and environmental management.
A single purchase
