WORKSHOP ON LED STOCKTAKING & CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT EAST-WEST ECONOMIC CORRIDOR / GMS, MARCH 17-19, 2014 AT MEKONG INSTITUTE, KHONKAEN

Trade and Investment Facilitation ,EWEC

To promote equitable and inclusive growth in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), the Mekong Institute (MI) is implementing the regional and local economic development project “Capacity Development for a More Inclusive and Equitable Growth, GMS” via an internal collaboration between Mekong Development Program (MDP) Department and RLED-EWEC Project teams. 

The project is a regional capacity development project that aims at contributing to rapid, local economic development and inclusive growth in the GMS with special emphasis on provinces and communities along the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC), in which three pilot provinces/states Khammoune Province (Lao PDR), Quang Tri Province (Vietnam) and Kayin State (Myanmar) had been selected. In the framework of this project, the research effort “Analytical assessment of current Local Economic Development (LED) policies and practices” is currently being conducted with the objective of increasing the capability of provincial and local LED actors to facilitate LED processes in which women and men have active roles and meaningful participation. 

In order to understand current LED processes and capabilities at the pilot sites, consultants designed an approach that looks into various research subjects, namely the national LED framework, local framework, policies, practices, capacities and results. In order to gain the necessary insights into these research topics, different research instruments were employed including desktop research, pilot site interviews and workshops(using a simplified format of the Compass of Local Competitiveness), a Capacity Development Needs Assessment (CDNA) survey and a concluding round of internal assessment. 

To follow-up the CDNA, the workshop on LED Stocktaking & Capacity Development Needs Assessment East-West Economic Corridor / GMS was held from March 17-19, 2014 at Mekong Institute, KhonKaen. 

The CDNA survey results show that, by and large, across all three countries and pilot sites, LED policies and practices seem to be in line with important LED principles. LED is predominately done in a bottom-up manner; participation is the principle that is most strongly reinforced followed by gender sensitivity and market-orientation. 

The next step is Phase I of LED Training of Trainers (ToT) that will take place from April 21 – 25,2014 in Vientiane.

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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.