Mineral Sector Licensing and Investment Assessment, Lao PDR
Client
World Bank Group
Location
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Project Duration
June 2016 – December 2016
Background
The World Bank Group provided technical support to the government of Lao PDR for improving management capacity within the mining and hydropower sectors.
Streamlining mining licensing processes in Lao PDR was critical due to the significance of the mining sector in the national economy. Despite the revenue that natural resources generate, there was a growing public concern – voiced through the National Assembly and other bodies – that resources were not exploited sustainably, and that the tradeoffs of large-scale projects were not sufficiently assessed from an environmental and social perspective. In addition, there was a lack of consistency in how approvals were granted.
Services Provided
The project objective was to assess key shortcomings during the execution of mining investment appraisals and provide technical assistance informed by completed assessments. The specific deliverables for this assessment included:
- Development of a mining governance assessment (“Governance Assessment”) informed by responses from key stakeholders to a detailed questionnaire.
- Present existing governance assessment processes to senior representatives from relevant ministries.
- Prepare a manual outlining key steps for government officials in the appraisal of mineral development feasibility studies, with emphasis on the clear delineation of roles and responsibilities.
- Presentation the manual, including forms and tools of investment appraisal, at a workshop with government and sector-specific stakeholders.
- Provide on-the-job training for government staff on how to apply the manual.
