Lao BTA/WTO Project Quarterly Report: October – December 2008

The project is a task order under the five-year indefinite quantity contract between the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The program's primary objective is to support the Lao government in its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and compliance with the Lao-ASEAN Trade Agreement (BTA). During the fourth quarter of 2008, the project's leaders undertook several key activities. A short trip to Vientiane was conducted to discuss the Phase II work plan development, supplemented by an additional trip to transition staff and further develop activities. A briefing paper on the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) Enquiry Point was submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC). Initial work on the Free Trade Promotion Division (FTPD) website was initiated, and preparations for the National Assembly Workshop on WTO Accession and BTA Compliance were accelerated. The project highlights for the third quarter, October to December 2008, include a short trip to Vientiane to discuss the Phase II work plan and ongoing activities. A briefing note on establishing a GATS Enquiry Point was submitted to the MOIC for review. Initial development work on the FTPD website was conducted, and a needs assessment was executed to identify an appropriate web developer. Activities development and leadership transition trip to Vientiane were also conducted, where the new Project Director, Matthew Reisman, and the former Project Director, Victoria Waite, further developed the Phase II work plan and discussed the format and logistics of the National Assembly Workshop. The project staff and MOIC are working to implement project activities as timely as possible, despite challenges such as distance, lack of an in-country advisor, and limited capacity at MOIC. The Project Director has discussed with USAID the possibility of sending advisors to Laos for extended periods and is exploring options for doing so. The project has established a working outline of workshop activities, identified international experts and officials as presenters, and coordinated with the Economic Development Cooperation (EDC) and MOIC on logistical planning and potential workshop venues.