Mekong Institute (MI) in cooperation with the Special Economic Zone Promotion and Management Office, Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Faculty of Engineering of National University of Laos (NUOL), organized a National virtual Workshop on “Investment Opportunities and Incentives in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Laos” on September 23, 2021 to promote and get insights and information on investment rules and opportunities and potential investors’ perspectives in economic zones against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, provide suggestions for further advancing trade and cooperation in connection with cross-border special economic zones and COVID-19 recovery measures in EZs in Lao PDR. 

Mr. Phonepaseuth Hao-onchanh, Director of Promotion and External Relations Division, Special Economic Zone Promotion and Management Office, chaired the workshop and presented their responsibilities, progress of EZ projects, the country’s policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and future plans. The speakers in technical sessions spoke about status, type and policies on investment in EZs, emerging investment opportunities, and the progress in development of Xaysettha Specific Economics Zone.

The workshop was attended by 30 participants representing government agencies such as the Customs Department, Tax Department, Department of Financial Policy and Legislation Department, Special Economic Zone Promotion and Management Office, Promotion Industry Department and Industrial and Handicraft Department, Dry Port, private sector such as Savan Park, exporters’ associations, banks, SEZ developers and faculty from NUOL and experts from consulting companies.

The workshop was organized as a series of national workshops on investment opportunities in economic zones as part of a multi-year project on “Joint Development of Cross-Border Economic Zones in Lancang-Mekong Countries,” supported by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund and implemented by MI in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce, Royal Government of Thailand.

The highlights of discussions of the national workshop in Laos and other Lancang-Mekong countries will be presented at a regional online Synthesis and Evaluation Workshop in the second week of October 2021.