On 26 May 2026 in the morning session, Mr. Thatsaka Saphangthong (PhD), General Director of the Department of Rural Development and Poverty Reduction and Mr. Vongpaphane Manivong (PhD), Acting-Executive Director of Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF) who leading Khwima Nthara, Country Manager of World Bank in Lao PDR with his team to meet PhD Chanthakhone Boualaphanh, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Environment in order to discuss about the priority work of the Government in rural development and poverty alleviation in Lao PDR especially which supported by World Bank through the Poverty Reduction Fund as well as the Community Livelihood Enhancement and Resilience (CLEAR) Project in the focal areas for development and poverty alleviation in 450 villages, 14 districts of 07 targeted provinces (Phongsaly, Oudomxay, Houaphan, Xiengkhouang, Savannakhet, Salavan and Sekong) that the age of project from 2024 to 2028.
This project is a crucial model in rolling out the “Three Builds or Sam Sang” and rural development and poverty reduction of the government down to the grassroots level and promotion of community-driven development. The achievements of the implementation since the initial to mid-term phases are good progress and achievements, which the World Bank evaluated that the progress made satisfactory. Through the discussion found that there are potentials to enhance/expand the achievements of this project to other areas based on the government’s policies in continuing for rural development and poverty reduction to remove the country from the world least developed status toward as a middle-income country in accordance with the government’s promise to the International Organizations. To achieve this goal, the Government needs fund available and also technical aspect bringing to develop in this mission in poor villages to be high success. Thus, the advancement and mobilizing every agency mainly are development partners, social organizations, private and other sectors in rural development and poverty reduction basing on the Rural Development and Poverty Reduction Program (RLRPP) 2026-2030 which to be implemented by the Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF) and development plan on the focal areas for development as defined.
