To promote effective poverty alleviation initiatives through sharing of good practices and lessons-learned in the region, Mekong Institute (MI), with support from the People’s Republic of China, conducted an online regional training program titled “Targeted Poverty Alleviation for Better Life in the Lancang-Mekong Region: Sharing Experiences” on December 13-24, 2021.  

Twenty-nine participants from government agencies, academic institutes, non-government organizations, and business sectors from the Lancang-Mekong countries joined the training program. The training focused on the risks and opportunities arising from the global pandemic towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty.

Speaking at the training, Mr. Suriyan Vichetlekarn, Executive Director of MI, underscored how COVID-19 unfolded the fragility of society, creating the surge of “new poor” and “nearly poor” within two years of its arrival. He further added the need to redouble regional concerted efforts and technical exchanges on poverty alleviation to address more cross-cutting and complex challenges in poverty reduction.

Highlighting good practices and lessons-learned from each participant, the training covered discussions on the conceptual framework on poverty alleviation, the dynamics and contextual analysis of poverty alleviation in the Lancang-Mekong countries, and the role of technologies in targeted poverty alleviation by incorporating case studies on natural resource management and rural development initiatives.

Upon returning to their respective countries, participants will implement action plans by using the knowledge and skills they acquired in the training program.