Lao People’s Democratic Republic lies in the lower Mekong River basin of Southeast Asia. The nation shares borders with China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. The country is highly vulnerable to riverine and flash flooding, as well as tropical cyclones. Drought exposure is also a concern, as hydropower development on the Mekong River is significantly altering the hydrology of the region. The country's vulnerability is exacerbated by its reliance on agricultural activities and lack of coping capacity.
INVESTING IN LAO PDR
CIF’s investment in Lao People’s Democratic Republic is through its Forest Investment Program (FIP). Complementing ongoing Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) initiatives, the country's $30-million FIP investment plan is aimed at enhancing its ability to overcome barriers that have hindered progress on the sustainable management and protection of forest landscapes. This includes strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks.
The FIP investment plan is also supporting participatory forest management and sustainable environmental services at all levels (national, provincial, and district), both in and out of designated state forest areas.
Through the CIF-TAF, there has been over $ 700,000 programmed for technical assistance activities in 2021. The programs covers an array of sectors such as mitigation and adaptation activities to support green and resilient Covid-19 recovery in the region, supproting climate resilient agriculture systems, and advancing the circular economy on marien plastics in the region.
