Strategy
Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam have achieved strong economic growth rates and significant prorgress in poverty reduction in the past 20 years. They remain, however, among the poorest countries in southeast Asia. Inequalities are growing and democratic participation remains weak. Poverty is most widespread among the rural population and in ethnic minority groups. Agriculture provides livelihoods for approximately 80% of the population.
All countries face huge challenges such as improving social and environmental development, diversifying the economy and strengthening inclusive growth. As they seek to enter the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, the social and economic gap with the other six ASEAN countries will have to be narrowed.
All stakeholders within the federal administration coordinate their activities using a common approach. Switzerland's activities in the region all include the cross-cutting themes of gender equality, participation of marginalised groups and non-discrimination, adapting to climate change as well as disaster prevention and risk reduction. Key partners in the development cooperation are:
- Swiss partners: Helvetas Intercooperation, Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), Nestlé, Allianz Re, MeteoSwiss)
- Ministries and provincial or district authorities
- Local NGOs
- International NGOs such as Care International, CORD (peacebuilding organisation), the WWF
- Regional partners (The Centre for People and Forests, Mekong River Commission, Mekong Institute)
- Bilateral donors such as Germany and the Nordic countries
- Multilateral organisations such as the UNDP, World Bank, Asian Development Bank
SDC Programming in Lao PDR
About SDC in Lao PDR
SDC has supported development projects in Lao PDR since 1990. In 2006, SDC opened a country office in Vientiane to oversee Switzerland’s development cooperation activities in the country. Since 2008, the Lao country office serves as the SDC coordination office for programming in Cambodia and Lao PDR, as well as regional project that include Myanmar and Vietnam. The office celebrated 10 years of bilateral cooperation with the Government of Lao PDR in 2016.
SDC Programming
Switzerland’s overall goal is to contribute to building inclusive societies through equitable and sustainable development and democratic governance. To this end, Switzerland contributes to poverty reduction and inclusive and equitable development in Lao PDR.
Governance and Citizen Participation
Switzerland contributes to outputs and outcomes of the 8th Lao Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2016-2020 in the areas of improving district public service delivery and poverty reduction. It will also continue to promote citizen participation; strengthen the representation and oversight role of the National Assembly and the newly-established Provincial People’s Assemblies, both considered to have a potential as drivers of change. It will stay engaged in advocacy for a strengthened role of (national) NGOs as partners in the development process and an enabling environment. Finally, Switzerland continues to facilitate more open-access socio-economic information and to create spaces to trigger debates, policy dialogue and decision-making based on evidence.
Agriculture and Food Security
Switzerland contributes to food security by improving the livelihoods of vulnerable groups. It will continue to enhance quality agricultural education, promote the sustainable use of agrobiodiversity, support farmers’ organisations and facilitate more and better rural advisory services in order to improve smallholder farmer productivity. To address high malnutrition among children and adults it emphasizes dietary diversity. Switzerland also helps to increase household capacities to cope with disaster risks and climate change impacts. Moreover, Switzerland puts more emphasis on agricultural value chains, access to markets for smallholders as well as peri-urban farming. It eases access to land by raising stakeholder awareness and participation in land use-related decision-making and conflict resolution.
Employment and Vocational Education and Training
Switzerland aims to improve the quality of skills provision and its relevance to employers and labour market needs. Ultimately, the goal of this domain is to increase the number of women and men, in particular those from disadvantaged groups, who enrol in vocational education and training and who then access gainful and decent employment and self-employment. To this intent, Switzerland also cooperates with stakeholders to strengthen the regulatory framework and delivery systems, including for informal skills provision. Throughout, Switzerland promotes private sector involvement.
Resources Allocation
SDC Actual disbursements in Lao PDR
2006-2012: CHF 75.6 million
2013-2017: CHF 83.87 million
Projected disbursements in Lao PDR
2018-2021: CHF 64 million
Planned allocations by country (in million CHF) |
||||||
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
Total |
% Total |
|
Mekong Region |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
32 |
22% |
Cambodia |
12.5 |
12.5 |
12.5 |
12.5 |
50 |
34% |
Lao PDR |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
64 |
44% |
Total |
36.5 |
36.5 |
36.5 |
36.5 |
146 |
100% |
Planned allocations by thematic domain (in million CHF) |
||||||
Domains |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
Total |
% Total |
Governance, citizen participation and health |
14 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
56 |
38% |
Agriculture and food security |
12.5 |
12.5 |
12.5 |
12.5 |
50 |
34% |
Skills development and employment |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
40 |
27% |
Total |
36.5 |
36.5 |
36.5 |
36.5 |
146 |
100% |
