Multilateral development assistance

The Asian Development Bank has approved US$12.8 million in additional financing for the ongoing Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Project in Laos. The grant assistance is sourced from ADB’s Strategic Climate Fund, Forest Investment Programme. The grant agreement was signed in Vientiane on October 18, inked by Deputy Minister ...

The Asian Development Bank has approved a $45 million loan for Cambodia to overhaul its upper secondary education in order to address the increased demand for skilled workers. Several measures will be undertaken to reform the sector: math, science and information technology curricula will be reviewed ...

A delegation from the United Nations, led by the under-secretary general of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, visited displaced communities outside of the Arakan State capital of Sittwe on October 14. Reporters from The Irrawaddy accompanied Stephen O’Brien, who also serves as ...

Through the 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan , Laos has focused on maintaining high economic growth that benefits all people and in continuing to reduce poverty. The country welcomes the work of its international partners to improve and enhance the assistance they provide to help the ...

Economic growth in Laos will remain buoyant however the region still faces significant risks to growth, according to a new World Bank report. The outlook of the Lao economy remains favourable overall but with increasing downside risks GDP growth is projected to remain at around seven ...

Despite an onset of risks—the uncertainty of upcoming elections, a looming E.U.-Vietnam free-trade deal and a rising U.S. dollar—the immediate outlook for Cambodia’s economy remains bright, a World Bank report released on October 5 says. But the country will have to address looming challenges now in order ...

The Asian Development Bank has committed more than $1 billion in new loans to Cambodia over the next three years to help the country invest in infrastructure, education and other priorities, government officials announced on October 5. Finance Minister Aun Porn Moniroth announced the $1.09 ...

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc congratulated Ousmane Dione on his appointment as new Country Director for the World Bank in Vietnam at a reception at the Government’s headquarters in Hanoi on October 4. He said the WB is important to Vietnam and bilateral relations are being ...

The U.N.’s special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia on September 28 hit the country with a growing list of criticisms over alleged human rights abuses, which Cambodia parried with the apparent support of neighboring states, including Burma, Laos, Thailand and China. Rhona Smith, in a presentation ...

More than 13,000 vulnerable children in 137 floating villages along the Tonle Sap river and Tonle Sap lake in Kampong Chhnang and Pursat provinces will have access to early childhood education under a $2.7 million project announced on September 28. Beginning mid-2017, children 5 and younger ...