VIENTIANE: Representatives of the Lao government, development partners, and the private sector discussed ways to improve public services at both the central and local levels, strengthen the business sector, and promote domestic and foreign investments.
Representatives gathered for a meeting to review the "Strengthening Provincial Economic Governance: Building on the Provincial Facilitation of Investment and Trade Initiative (ProFIT)" project, Lao Economic Daily reported on Friday (Dec 13).
The meeting boosted the understanding and study of issues and challenges facing entrepreneurs, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), in business operations in the near future. The study highlighted opportunities to further reduce business costs, enhance transparency, and attract investments.
Speaking at the meeting on Tuesday, Lao Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Bounthueng Douangsavanh called on provincial authorities to focus on improving the business environment, particularly in facilitating trade and investment, in line with the implementation of the national socio-economic development plan to ensure that official goals are achieved.
"We still need to increase our independence, improve regulations appropriately, and create and develop personnel to serve in trade and investment facilitation work in line with the growth of socio-economic development to support the implementation of the five-year socio-economic development plan," he added. - Xinhua
