Group photo including Mr. Vilayphanh Xayavong, Acting Director General, Department of Transport of Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Dr. Jason Lee, Country Representative of GGGI Lao PDR, and key stakeholders at the Electric Vehicles Promotion Consultation Workshop

On December 7, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Lao PDR Country Team, in partnership with Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) held a consultation workshop on the promotion of Electric Vehicles (EVs) under the umbrella of Green Cities. This event included representatives from Ministry of Planning and Investment, National Institute of Economic Research, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Energy and Mines, development partners, and key stakeholders including state-owned enterprises, related public transport associations, and the private sector. This event was co-chaired by Dr. Jason Lee, Country Representative of GGGI Lao PDR and Mr. Vilayphanh Xayavong, Acting Director General, Department of Transport of MPWT.

The objectives of the one day workshop were to present and discuss options that Lao PDR could consider to promote EVs. with reference to linkages to international and national priorities in Lao PDR as well as best practices from other countries including financing modalities, policy options, and so on, to share analysis of findings from the preliminary study undertaken to explore key issues of EVs including but not limited to technical, financial, and policy reform possibilities, and lastly to present and collect feedback for potential pilot projects.

The event proved to be of high-level focused and lively discussion with back-and-forth interactions across the board from the private sector to the public sector and with key line ministries. GGGI’s next steps to promote EVs in Lao PDR are focused on three areas: establishing a technical working group, conducting an in-depth feasibility study, and supporting a comprehensive and development strategy.