In an effort to strengthen public-private dialogue in Laos, the Laos Business Environment Project (LBE), funded by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID), organized a five-day study visit to Vietnam from March 18-22, 2024.

The primary objective of the visit was to learn from Vietnam’s successful practices in the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF), renowned for its effective facilitation of dialogue between government and businesses. The USAID LBE Project times the study visit to coincide with Vietnam’s Business Forum.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC), the study visit was led by Mr. Ph.D. Bouavanh Vilavong, Permanent Secretary of MOIC. Seventeen representatives from the MOIC, the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Provincial Department of Industry and Commerce, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Champasak and Savannakhet participated in the trip.

Mr. Ph.D Vilavong emphasized the importance of the study visit, and highlighted the expanding partnership between USAID and MOIC. “We gained valuable insights from VBF’s success in fostering constructive dialogue between the public and private sectors, as well as the collaboration and support from their government to enhance the business environment through dialogue and policy reforms,” said Mr. PhD Vilavong. “We are dedicated to ongoing enhancements of the Laos Business Forum model and exploring its adaptation for effective public-private dialog engagement.”

The study visit included participation in the annual VBF meeting, discussions with the VBF Secretariat, and visits to relevant organizations in Vietnam, such as the Foreign Investment Agency, Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and an industrial zone. This afforded participants with insights into the forum’s structure and management and the VBF’s approach to interacting with the other stakeholders in the business environment.

USAID, through the Laos Business Environment Project, supports the Government of Lao PDR in enhancing the investment and trade environment and bolstering the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises.