Chinese Government provides RMB 33 million grant for China-Laos Poverty Reduction Cooperation Pilot Project

In December 2016, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) agreed to issue a grant worth RMB 33 million (41 billion Laotian Kip) to the Government of Laos for the China-Laos Poverty Reduction Cooperation Pilot Project. Then, on June 14, 2017, the Chinese Government and the Government of Laos signed a project implementation agreement.

The purpose of the project was to install community infrastructure — including 4.16 km asphalt roads in the village, 2 drinking water supply projects (covering 2891 people in 624 households), 1 steel truss bridge, 1 culvert in the production area, 2 village activity centers, 2 village clinics, 4 school dormitories, 2 school playgrounds, 2 school toilets, 22 solar street lamps and 2 weaving exhibition halls — in Ban Xor Village, Sangthong District, Vientiane Municipality and Xienglorm Village, Luang Prabang city of Laos.

The project also involved 35 technical trainings of 826 villagers, the organization of 7 project management trainings for 248 project officers and villagers, and the implementation of 3 training sessions and 2 "friendly village" exchange visits in China with 61 participants from Laos.

Guangxi Foreign Capital Poverty Reduction Project Management Center cooperated with the Department of Rural Development and Cooperatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos to implement the project. Implementation was originally scheduled to take place between July 2017 and June 2020.

However, the project was ultimately implemented between September 2017 and September 2020.

At the project completion ceremony, Khemmani Pholsena, Lao minister to the Presidential Office, said ‘China's overall victory in the fight against poverty has not only brought a better life to the Chinese people, but also brought real benefits to the people of the world, because China's success experiences can also be practical reference for all countries in the world, especially the developing countries.’ The proportion of poor households in the project villages reportedly fell from 52 percent in 2017 to 25 percent in 2020.