TRAINING PROGRAM ON “SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT”

Agricultural Development and Commercialization

The five-day regional training program on Sustainable Rural Development commenced on June 13, 2016, at the Mekong Institute (MI) Residential Training Center in Khon Kaen, Thailand. The training was attended by 17 participants from Thailand and Lao PDR. 

Dr. Watcharas Leelawath, MI Executive Director, welcomed the participants to the program, which is part of a series of trainings sponsored by Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) and International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD). It aims to provide an efficient platform where the participants can share their experiences and ideas for appropriate solutions in implementing development interventions on rural areas, while sustaining finite resources for future generations. 

Following Dr. Watcharas, Dr. Kamalinne Pinipuvadol, ITD Executive Director, likewise delivered his opening remarks and introduced the activities of ITD, emphasizing their initiatives in Lao PDR. This training workshop will help participants to understand and cope with the rise in the complexity of economic arrangements due to the process in the world economy, particularly development in the rural area. The philosophy of sufficiency economy of H.M.K. King Bhumibhol is included in the knowledge transfer. 

Afterwards, Dr. Kamalinne Pinipuvadol gave a presentation on ‘Opportunities for International Trade and Sustainable Development’ and introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recently replaced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The newly adopted SDGs aim to mobilize action over the next 15 years towards ending poverty and hunger, protecting the world from environmental degradation, and fostering a prosperous, peaceful, just and inclusive society. 

He concluded that the goals, which he related to trade, all aim to reduce trade barriers among nations for sustainability. He lastly wished all participants to develop a network for future cooperation. 

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Mrs. Guohua Liu

Director, Sustainable Energy & Environment (SEE) Department

Mrs. Liu Guohua is the Director of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Department at the Mekong Institute. Prior to this role, she worked in the Department of International Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, where she played a key role in shaping and implementing China’s cooperation strategies with UN development agencies. During this time, Mrs. Liu was actively involved in advancing initiatives related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on climate change and green development. Additionally, she contributed to the evaluation of projects funded by various Chinese initiatives, such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, etc.

In addition to her work in the Department of International Economic Affairs, Mrs. Liu has an extensive diplomatic background. She spent 7 years in the Department of African Affairs, followed by a 4-year tenure at the Chinese Embassy in Lao PDR, where she gained deep expertise in both Southeast Asian and African affairs. These diverse experiences have played a crucial role in shaping her approach to sustainable development and international collaboration, particularly in building regional partnerships and tackling global challenges like climate change.

She holds a Master’s degree in Economics, with a specialization in Finance, from the Central University of Finance and Economics, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, specializing in International Economics and Trade, from the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.