The Lao-European Union Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) process will help Laos to reduce illegal deforestation and promote good forest governance, which will bolster poverty reduction and sustainable management of natural resources.
Land and forestry is the primary resource of the nation, and needs to be managed properly in order to improve local people's living conditions and further socio-economic development in Laos.
Germany has given Laos further grant aid of 6 million euros (about 61 billion kip) to safeguard the livelihoods of people, mainly in the southern provinces, who depend on the sound management of their natural environment, especially forests.
A new documentary film follows investigators from the Environmental Investigation Agency on a dangerous mission to uncover the stages of the illicit timber trade in Vietnam and Laos.
The government of Japan has provided grant assistance of more than 475 million yen (about 4,6 million EUR) for the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Forest Information Management Programme in Laos.
The Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) is cooperating with the Forestry Department to implement the Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests Programme (LEAF) in Laos.
Ministry seeks funding for environmental programmes
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment needs US$430 million to fund programmes over the next five years that aim to manage natural resources and the environment in regards to socio-economic development.
