LuxDev’s Regional Office in Vientiane, Laos opened in 2016 to respond to the shifting strategic priorities of Luxembourg Development Cooperation in Southeast Asia. In particular, the relocation of the Regional Office reflects the impending increase of LuxDev operations, including the launch of several new programmes in Laos and the commencement  of activities in neighbouring Myanmar. The new Vientiane Regional Office offers LuxDev a central location to manage, monitor and support Luxembourg development efforts in Laos and the two neighbouring countries – Myanmar and Vietnam. The Regional Office operates in close coordination with the Luxembourg Embassy, which is located in the same compound.

In Laos, under the fourth Indicative Cooperation Programme (ICP) between Laos and Luxembourg, LuxDev currently operates in the sectors of Health, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as well as Local Development. With an indicative allocation of 60 million EUR, the main objective of ICP IV is to contribute to poverty reduction in Laos and to support efforts of the Lao government in the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on assisting the most vulnerable groups and populations in poor and remote areas. Bilateral cooperation constitutes the main implementation modality of the ICP IV, entailing a significant role for LuxDev, which implements the majority of Luxembourg’s bilateral development assistance. LuxDev continues to implement the Health Sector Support Programme in cooperation with the Ministry of Health. In terms of TVET, LuxDev is the implementing agency for the joint Luxembourg-Swiss initiative in support of skills development in the tourism sector. Local development continues to be supported by LuxDev under the village-level implementation modality successfully developed under ICP III in cooperation with Lao authorities. In regards to capacity development, LuxDev is currently supporting the Division of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Planning and Investment and will also launch a new project to continue supporting the rule of law and governance in Laos. The various programmes and projects collectively aim to achieve sustainable structural change by offering technical assistance to Lao authorities in implementing institutional reforms as well as complementary infrastructure and service development activities at the national, provincial, district and village levels.