(KPL) The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, organized the two-day Workshop on Scaling Up Financing for Resilient Growth in the Lao PDR, which brought together more than 100 senior government officials, development partners, and sector experts to discuss ways to drive resilient growth in the country in an integrated manner.

“The Ministry of Finance is grateful to the ADB and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for co-hosting and supporting this timely workshop,” said Vice Minister of Finance Soulivath Souvannachoumkham. “The discussions on vulnerabilities and challenges in responding to natural disasters and scaling up financing solutions will directly inform the government’s strategies, particularly the Ministry of Finance, as we refine our country’s investment plan to align with national climate and development priorities.”

Mr Phouvong Luangxaysana, Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, also co-chaired the workshop, identified key climate-induced disasters leading to significant impacts on Lao PDR, and emphasized the importance of strengthening regional and international cooperation to access to funding. This aims to promote resilience, adaptive capacity to climate change, as well as integrating climate considerations into national planning.

Central and provincial government agencies discussed the Lao PDR’s vulnerabilities and challenges in responding to more frequent and severe floods and droughts, which disrupt various sectors, including finance, public works, environment, agriculture, commerce and industry, health, tourism, and urban development.

In addition to the ADB, development partners such as the World Bank, FCDO, World Food Programme, and the Food and Agriculture Organization shared how they have supported the Lao PDR Government in designing policy and investment projects aimed at strengthening resilience in agriculture, health, and disaster risk management.

“ADB combines financing resources with deep technical expertise to help the Lao PDR turn resilience ambitions into bankable projects,” said ADB Country Director for the Lao PDR Shanny Campbell. “This workshop marks a critical step in aligning the government’s investments with its resilience goals,”

ADB experts and the government also brainstormed how different sectors of the economy can invest in resilience measures. They identified opportunities for ADB pipeline projects to strengthen resilience and discussed approaches for accessing financing and technical assistance for these projects. ADB will continue supporting the Ministry of Finance and other ministries in developing new investments that drive resilient growth in close consultation with other development partners.

ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.

KPL