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Social and Environmental Policy Implications of Infrastructure Development in the Lao PDR : a case study of Australian public and private investment in Lao PDR

This was a one-year collaborative research and capacity building project between the AMRC and the National Economic Research Institute (NERI) of the Lao PDR, a recently established think-tank to the powerful State Planning Committee (SPC) of the Lao PDR. It was the first such collaboration with a University-based research centre that NERI and the SPC have undertaken.

Headed by Phil Hirsch, the project’s other researchers were AMRC Associates, Andrew Wyatt and Viliam Phraxayavong. They were joined by Ms. Sirivanh Khonthapane, NERI’s vice-director and fellow AMRC Associate and an assistant Mr. Xayxana Khay Khamphitoun.

The project’s major aim was to investigate the social and environmental implications of different funding models for infrastructure development in the Mekong Region by focusing on a case study of one country, Lao PDR, which has a significant program of infrastructure development that raises pressing social and environmental questions. The project was further focused by concentrating on Australian public and private funding of infrastructure development in Lao PDR, bringing together the Australian and Lao governments, NGOs and members of the private sector. A secondary aim was to build research capacity in the area of social and environmental policy analysis within NERI.

The project provided training on policy research methodology, use of databases (Andrew Wyatt) and policy analysis (Phil Hirsch) to the research staff of NERI. It also provided the opportunity for Ms. Sirivahn to spend 3 weeks at the AMRC’s Sydney office, during which time she carried out collaborative research and presented at meetings with AusAID Lao Country Desk, the Australia Institute (an independent public policy research centre) and the Australian Council for Overseas Aid. Research work was completed during November and a preliminary report was presented at an SPC workshop in December 1999. The report was well received and acknowledged to be the first such research of its kind conducted by a Lao government agency, from which lessons could be drawn in order to review policy and project management processes.

Duration: 1999

Partners: National Economic Research Institute (NERI), Lao PDR

Funding bodies: Australian Research Council (ARC) and Focus on the Global South, Bangko

© 2005 Australian Mekong Resource Centre