A back-to-back Project Steering Committee meeting was held on 20th December 2021 for project AFoCO/025/2021 for “Integrated Village-Driven Forest Rehabilitation and Livelihood Improvement in Viengthong District, Bolikhamxay Province, Lao PDR” and for project AFoCO/008/2014, “Village-based Rehabilitation in Lao PDR”, which is under the Landmark Program. Both of the meetings was arranged to discuss the following agendas: follow-up of the last PSC meeting regarding the Records of Discussion (RoD), annual progress and financial report of 2021 and project performance analysis based on the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) Matrix, annual work plan and budget for 2022 to be approved by the PSC meeting.
The meeting was joined by the Project Steering Committee members from Lao PDR and the AFoCO Secretariat. The meeting was formally called into order by the Deputy Director-General of the Planning and Finance Department, Dr. Phommy Inthichack, who was designated as the Chairperson of both PSC meetings. He started the meeting with warm welcomes and an introduction of the participants from both sides.
During the meeting, Dr. Oupakone Alounsavath, Director of Village and Forestry and NTFP Division of Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Project Manager for AFoCO/025/2021 and AFoCO/008/2014, briefly presented the recap of the record of discussion of the last PSC meeting. After the brief recap, he proceeded with the follow-up activities, the 2021 annual progress & financial report and project performance analysis based on the PIP matrix which was followed by a presentation on the annual work plan and budget for 2022 covering 12 months from January to December.
The AFoCO Secretariat acknowledged the continuous efforts dedicated to achieving project goals and plans despite the tremendous challenges set by the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting adjourned with hopes that the COVID-19 situation would improve in the future for the next PSC meeting planned for December 2022, to be held in person in Seoul and for the Lao PDR side to visit the Seoul and the Secretariat in time for the 15th World Forestry Congress next year in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Submitted by Cha Jiyea, Assistant Program Officer
