News

2018
- 3 September
- By Paul PENFOLD
- Asia Office MYA/001
- Education, vocationnal training and employment
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MYANMAR - Union Minister of Hotel and Tourism, U Ohn Maung attending the meeting for MYA/001 detailed planning workshop with MOHT and LuxDev
On Saturday and Sunday 25 and 26 August 2018, U Ohn Maung, Union Minister of Hotel & Tourism (MOHT), devoted his weekend for working together with LuxDev and all senior management of his Ministry in Yangon.

By mid Saturday morning, approximately 80 students following Level 1 and Level 2 courses at the Tourism Hospitality Training Center (THTC) were awarded certificates in Tourism & Hospitality Operations.

Subsequently, the Union Minister paid a visit to the renovation works at the training centre embedded in the MOHT building in the Bosoon Pat street - presently operated by Project MYA/001 on behalf of the Luxembourg Development Cooperation via LuxDev in close concert with the MOHT’s Yangon Branch Office and IECD (European Institute for Cooperation and Development), French INGO starting up the first French Bakery in Myanmar in that same building. His Excellency visited the just-renovated classrooms, kitchens, bakery and training restaurant.

On Saturday afternoon and Sunday, the Minister chaired a joint MOHT-LuxDev planning workshop dealing with the second and remaining period of Project MYA/001 covering assistance around eight Focal Areas, stretching the project till mid 2020 for developing human resources and capital in Myanmar.

Since an Educational Foundation is being set up from within the project, the THTC may soon be renamed under a different acronym to be delivering Tourism & Hospitality courses – Hospitality Short Courses (Front Office Operation, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage Service, Food Hygiene & Preparation), Certificate I in Hospitality, Certificate II in Hospitality, Certificate I in Travel & Tourism and Certificate II in Travel & Tourism.

In short, as part of a more global development initiative under project MYA/001, the undertaking is already and will be offering exponentially all the relevant knowledge and skills related to Tourism & Hospitality Operations for young – and not so young - professionals as well as disadvantaged individuals who are interested in the Tourism & Hospitality industry and want to find the opportunities for their career growth in this booming sector in Myanmar.

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- 17 August
- By Sandrine THINNES
- Asia Office MYA/002
- Socio-economic development
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MYANMAR - 371 households have access to water
Over the last five months, 371 households have seen their livelihoods improved by having access to water right at their house.

In very close cooperation with 6 villages of the 5 Tract area of Keng Tung township in Eastern Shan State, the testing phase of installing door-to-door water distribution systems has been successfully completed.

A total of 5 water tanks of a capacity of 20 000 l have been constructed.

From the main water tanks, a distribution system supplies inox tanks of a capacity of 3 000 l located at strategic points in the village. A maximum of 10 households are connected to one secondary tank. This means that each household has now at least 300 l of water at their disposal.

In comparison, the previous cement cylinders had a maximum capacity of 700 l and sometimes up to 40 households were connected to one cement tank.

The success of this testing phase has been tremendous and much of the credit goes to the villagers who have put volunteer work on top of their very busy agricultural schedule to get rice fields ready for planting. During the start of the rainy season, when roads and tracks became impassable, the villagers hand-carried the water distribution material from the nearest drop-off point to their village which could sometimes take 2,5 hours one way.

In the 6 villages, over 7 000 pipes have been placed and buried at least 50 cm deep in order to protect them from exposure to the elements and roaming animals.

Many lessons learned have been collected from this testing phase and the project has already identified the next batch of 6 villages to benefit from a door-to-door water distribution system.

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- 14 August
- By Neira Ramic
- Asia Office LAO/029
- Education, vocationnal training and employment
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LAOS - Successful completion of tourism/hospitality training in Champasak
21 staff members from micro, small and medium tourism/hospitality enterprises received certificates of completion of the Pheun Than Heng A Sip Training Programme (PTHAS) in Champasak province in July. Certificates were presented in Pakse by Madame Mala Chanthalam, Deputy Director of the Department of Information, Culture and Tourism (DICT) and Mr Thouy Phetsavanh, president of the Champasak Hotel and Restaurant Association (CHRA).

The staff members completed 12 competency assessed units in either food and beverage service or housekeeping, delivered by industry trainers coordinated by the CHRA. Swisscontact is supporting the CHRA to deliver the PTHAS training programme under the Skills for Tourism Project LAO/029.

In collaboration with Skills for Tourism Project LAO/029, Swisscontact implements the Pheun Than Heng A Sip Training Programme.

This seeks to upgrade hospitality skills amongst 500 MSME staff and support 500 more people from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter the tourism and hospitality sector in selected southern and central provinces.

Project LAO/029 is supported by the Governments of Lao PDR, Switzerland and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
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- 9 August
- By Paul Penfold
- Asia Office MYA/001
- Education, vocationnal training and employment
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MYANMAR - Building tourism education capacity
Building tourism education capacity in Myanmar Associate Professor Rosemary Black has recently arrived in Myanmar to work at the National Management Degree College, a public university in Yangon. Rosemary is there as a Visiting Pro Bono Professor and her work involves mentoring and coaching faculty members on subject knowledge and teaching methods and assessment, assisting with teaching tourism modules, conducting basic research and contributing to quality management by supporting development of university leadership.

The College offers a four-year BA degree in Tourism awarded by Yangon University and is one of only two institutions in the country to offer a tourism degree programme. “This is a unique opportunity for me to have a positive impact on the development and capacity building of tourism educators and students in Myanmar,” Rosy says. “I have over 20 years’ experience in the tertiary sector that I can contribute to the tourism programme.”

Her position is one of a number of strategies to building tourism and hospitality human resources capacity in the country that is being supported by the Luxembourg government and implemented by LuxDev. “I am teaching subjects in Sustainable Tourism, an area I am passionate about, as well as English for Hospitality to the first year students.

“ The students and staff are so keen to learn, it’s very rewarding. I am organising a sustainable tourism field trip, as well as a tourism career fair and an exhibition of student posters. All these activities are new initiatives for the College and I hope they will continue into the future. I am also establishing an Industry Advisory Group for the tourism program that will be an important interface between the College and relevant areas of industry, commerce/trade?, education, government, the professions and the overall community. It can advise the College on the scope and nature of its tourism programme, research and other activities – again an initiative that will have a long lasting impact”.

In increasing tourism, there is a need to strengthen tourism and hospitality related human resources capacity and facilitate the responsible development of Myanmar’s livelihoods throughout the country. The overall MYA/001 project aims to build up and strengthen existing institutional structures and support the further development of programmes that operate within them rather than seek to establish new frameworks for the delivery of human resources development.

The focus of the programme is on outcomes that strengthen the capacity of key stakeholders – government, educational providers and the private sector to sustain reforms beyond the short-term cycle of support from international donor partners. “Currently, the tourism programmes in the formal education sector in Myanmar are at an embryonic stage of development and lack industry relevance, experienced teaching staff and learning resources,” Rosy says. “Inputs such as the Visiting Professor Scheme are needed to support the formulation and delivery of programmes designed to enable employees to enter the tourism workforce and be received by employers confident in their skills and educational attainment.”

One of the main interventions of the project is the support for the development of the BA in Tourism and Hospitality programmes in Yangon and Mandalay. The first higher-level education programmes for tourism in Myanmar started in 2012 at the National Management Degree College in Yangon and at Mandalar Degree College in Mandalay. “These programmes are breaking new ground in tourism higher education in Myanmar,” Rosy says. “However, there is a need to develop appropriate and relevant curriculum and assessment strategies, increase engagement with and from tourism industry stakeholders in the private sector in Myanmar, support and develop teachers qualified in tourism-related disciplines with professional experience in the industry, and provide appropriate and current teaching and learning resources.”
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- 31 July
- By Hien Bui Thi Mai
- Asia Office VIE/032
- Inclusive and innovative finance
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VIETNAM – Seminar on Securities Law Revision
Project VIE/032 and Vietnam's State Securities Commission (SSC) held a two-day internal seminar on 13 & 14 July to discuss amendments to Securities Law which was last revised in 2010 whilst the market's rapid growth has since required further updates to ensure effective operation.

The seminar was chaired by SSC Deputy Chairwoman Vu Thi Chan Phuong, who was joined by Vu Bang, SSC former chairman and now member of Board of Economic Consultants to the Prime Minister, together with Nguyen Trong Nghia, consultant of the finance ministry and who used to head the ministry's legal department. SSC Chairman Tran Van Dzung also made a brief attendance on the final day.

Discussions on the law's amendments were shared among SSC inspectors and officials from its seven departments, namely legal, IPO management, public company monitoring, market development, trading management, fund management and market monitoring departments.

Following the seminar, SSC would introduce changes to the draft and make it available for public opinions tentatively between now and the year end via a public seminar with expected participation of representatives from market players such as stock exchanges, securities firms, banking and finance institutions.

Once all the inputs have been collected, SSC would finalise the draft with the support from Project VIE/032’s international legal experts and send it to the government for submission to the National Assembly, which is scheduled to review the law and approve it within 2019, said SSC Chairman Tran Van Dzung.

"We have high expectation that the new generation of the securities law, once approved by the government to take effect in 2020, would continue to create a foundation for the next boom of the stock market and the financial market in the new period, meeting demand for fund raising and allocation, contributing to changing the growth model of Vietnam's economy", Dzung said on the sidelines of the seminar.

He also added that "We hold that between 2020 and 2030, and by 2040 the role of the stock market on allocating medium- and long-term funds for the sustainable development of the economy will be clearer, hence in the next generation of securities law, we ought to create conditions for enterprises as well as the government in raising funds and using funds more effectively, making more contributions to the economic development".

Mr Dzung expressed his great appreciation to the support from Project VIE/032 to help drafting the Law Amendments, organizing oversea study tours and consultation workshops – particularly providing experienced legal international experts so that SSC could summarize the experience from overseas markets. "They have also directly joined in dealing with issues of Vietnam's economy as well as putting those issues into the Securities Law, ensuring the development and a better management of the securities market in future." Dzung said.
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- 25 July
- By Sylvie Do Mar Bassama
- Niger Office NIG/026
- Water and sanitation
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NIGER - Lancement officiel du Mécanisme commmun de financement (MCF) du secteur de l'eau et de l'assainissement
Le Mécanisme commun de financement (MCF) a été lancé avec des millions d'euros d’ores et déjà mobilisés pour garantir l’accès à l’eau potable à la population au Niger.

Le ministre de l’Hydraulique et de l’Assainissement, le chargé d’Affaires de l’ambassade du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg à Ouagadougou, le directeur général de LuxDev ainsi que les principaux acteurs du secteur se sont réunis le 12 juillet 2018 à Tahoua pour lancer officiellement le MCF du programme sectoriel eau, hygiène et assainissement (PROSEHA). Pour cette occasion, le forage de Kamo Kamo, financé par le MCF, a été visité. Cet ouvrage permettra très prochainement à des milliers de personnes de bénéficier de l’accès à l’eau potable.

En 2016 seulement 55,5 % des Nigériens n’avaient pas accès à l’eau potable et 98,3 % à des infrastructures d’assainissement de base. Le gouvernement du Niger s’est engagé dans l’atteinte des objectifs de développement durable des Nations unies, notamment le numéro 6 relatif à l’eau et l’assainissement. Pour cela, le PROSEHA 2016 - 2030 a été élaboré et présente les objectifs généraux suivants :
- assurer la disponibilité et la gestion durable de l’eau et de l’assainissement pour tous ;
- contribuer à la mise en œuvre de la stratégie nationale d’hydraulique pastorale.
Un mécanisme de financement innovant

Le MCF a été mis en place dès 2017 pour renforcer l’alignement et l’harmonisation des financements du secteur en offrant aux partenaires techniques et financiers (PTF) un outil fiable, transparent et efficace. Il a été créé par arrêté conjoint entre le ministère de l’Hydraulique et de l’Assainissement, le ministère des Finances et le ministère du Plan.

L'un des objectifs clés du gouvernement nigérien avec la création du MCF est de mobiliser des ressources financières pour combler les déficits de financement du PROSEHA où seul 21 % du budget total est acquis d’ici la fin de la première phase en 2020. Pour amorcer le partenariat, le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg et le Royaume du Danemark se sont engagés à apporter près de 47 millions EUR. Plusieurs PTF ont déjà manifesté leur intérêt à les rejoindre. Le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, ayant renouvelé son mandat en tant que chef de file des PTF du secteur, continuera à donner son appui au gouvernement nigérien pour renforcer son réseau de plaidoyer.

Table de séance de l'atelier de lancement officiel du MCF, 12 juillet 2018 - Tahoua (de droite à gauche : le directeur général de LuxDev, le chargé d'Affaires de l'ambassade du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg à Ouagadougou, le ministre de l'Hydraulique et de l'Assainissement)

Participants à l'atelier de lancement du MCF, 12 juillet 2018 - Tahoua

Visite du forage de Kamo Kamo (Tahoua) financé par le MCF

Visite du forage de Kamo Kamo (Tahoua) financé par le MCF

Accueil de la population lors de la visite du forage de Kamo Kamo (Tahoua)

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- 24 July
- By Josaphat MILLOGO
- Burkina Faso Office NIG/026
- Water and sanitation
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BURKINA FASO - Formulation d’un nouvel appui à l’enseignement et la formation techniques et professionnels
Forte d’une longue expérience dans le domaine de l’enseignement et la formation techniques et professionnels au Burkina Faso, la Coopération luxembourgeoise consolide son appui au développement des compétences par un nouvel appui dans le cadre de son 3^e Programme indicatif de coopération (PIC) signé avec le Burkina Faso pour la période 2017-2021 à travers le BKF/026.

Le BKF/026 est une contribution à un appui conjoint, « Appui à la politique sectorielle d’enseignement et de formation techniques et professionnels (APOSE/EFTP) », des Coopérations luxembourgeoise, autrichienne, suisse, monégasque et française (à travers l’Agence française de développement) à la mise en œuvre de la politique de l’EFTP qui ont confiés le lead de la formulation à LuxDev.

Il succédera au Programme d’appui à la politique sectorielle de l’EFTP (PAPS/EFTP) soutenu par les mêmes partenaires et s’alignera sur le plan d’action triennal 2018-2020 de la politique nationale de l’EFTP. D’un budget estimatif de 20,269 milliards de FCFA (30,9 MEUR) dont 8,527 milliards de FCFA (13 MEUR) de contribution du Luxembourg, il s’articulera plus particulièrement autour de trois programmes visant à améliorer l’accès à l’EFTP (programme 1), en améliorer la qualité (programme 2) et renforcer son pilotage (programme 3).

Tenant compte des leçons apprises du PAPS/EFTP, l’exercice de formulation a inclus un diagnostic exhaustif des capacités institutionnelles, organisationnelles et individuelles des principales entités en charge de la mise en œuvre de l’EFTP au Burkina Faso. Sur base de ce diagnostic, les acteurs pilotes que sont le ministère en charge de la formation professionnelle, le Fonds d’appui à la formation professionnelle et à l’apprentissage, le conseil national du patronat burkinabè et les chambres consulaires vont bénéficier d’importants appuis en matière de renforcement des capacités.

Pour ce qui concerne la formulation proprement dite, elle a démarré en mi-mai. À l’issue des entretiens avec les différents acteurs au niveau central et dans les régions, les travaux de terrain se sont conclus fin juin. Le document technique et financier (DTF) provisoire a été élaboré et sa restitution a eu lieu le 19 juillet en présence de la contrepartie et des Partenaires techniques et financiers (PTF). Les grandes orientations du prochain appui portent sur la réalisation d’actions de formation qualifiante et certifiante, à forte employabilité et plutôt de courte durée, l’appui à la décentralisation fonctionnelle et territoriale de la formation professionnelle notamment en finançant les chambres consulaires et les organisations professionnelles par branche, le développement des partenariats avec le secteur privé dont les organisations professionnelles par secteur économique et le patronat.

Partenaires techniques et financiers à l'atelier de restitution du DTF provisoire

Courant juillet à septembre, il sera procédé à la finalisation/validation du DTF, puis à son instruction par le gouvernement burkinabè et les différents partenaires, suivie de la signature des accords bilatéraux respectifs entre le Burkina Faso et les partenaires contributeurs au financement de l’appui.

En termes de modalité de mise en œuvre, il est envisagé une exécution nationale des fonds à travers le ministère en charge de la formation professionnelle et l’instrument retenu est le Compte d’affectation spécial du trésor (CAST) qui sera mis en place et inscrit dans la Loi de Finances 2019. Il est cependant prévu la gestion en régie par un des PTF, de l’assistance technique, des supervisions financières, audits et évaluations.

Le démarrage est prévu pour le 4^e trimestre 2018.
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- 24 July
- By Reginald M. Pastrana
- Asia Office LAO/031
- Governance
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LAOS - Legal skills development in Northern Institute of Justice
On 10-13 July, the Project LAO/031 conducted the seminar-workshop on conducting legal research. The workshop focused on basic legal research, research methodology and the drafting and presentation of a research proposal. The seminar aimed to train teachers and other legal educators from the Northern Institute of Justice in Luang Prabang, the northern branch of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) whose primary role is to educate and provide future lawyers, prosecutors and judges with the necessary theoretical and practical skills necessary for their legal, prosecutorial and judicial duties.

NIJ is an administrative agency offers both formal (diploma level) and non-formal legal education programmes in Laos. NIJ plays an important role in providing practical hands-on, simulation case learning for newly graduated lawyers and legal practitioners in the country.

Legal educators at the National Institute of Justice in Luang Prabang doing group work on research proposals and legal analysis.

This three-day workshop was led by Reginald M. Pastrana, Chief Technical Adviser (CTA) of LAO/031, supported by the project team and a few NIJ and Northern Institute of Justice faculty members. The seminar was chaired by the Deputy Director General of the NIJ and attended by the various deputy director generals and faculty members of the Northern Institute of Justice.

Reginald M. Pastrana, CTA for LAO/031 delivers lectures on the nature and concept of legal research

The training modules focused on theoretical and practical exercises on the mechanics and dynamics of research. The theoretical approach was driven by various lectures on the essentials of research dynamics, processes, tools, techniques and methodologies. The practical exercises focused not only on how to conduct legal research and analysis but also on the preparations and understanding required to reach that stage.

The teaching method was interactive (learning by doing) and furthered the professional development of 37 teachers and trainers of the Northern Institute of Justice and the NIJ.

Dr. Viengphet Zengsongyialorfaijong, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Justice (center) poses with Reginald M. Pastrana, CTA, Asso. Prof. Bounthieng Phommachanh, Vice Dean of the FLP of the NUoL, Asso. Prof. Vixay Sihapanya, Head of Civil Law Department of the FLP and the participants composing the NIJ and legal educators of the Northern Institute of Justice during their photo session

At the end of the seminar-workshop, Dr. Viengphet Zengsongyialorfaijong, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Justice, stated that he was satisfied with the success of this activity. As the first activity to enrich the legal research skills of the legal educators in the Northern Institute of Justice, he said that the seminar-workshop was a positive step in a continuing process of improving and strengthening the knowledge and legal skills of law practitioners, teachers and students in the country.
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- 18 July
- By Michel Maricaux, CTP NIG025
- Niger Office NIG/025
- Agriculture, forestry and fishery
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NIGER - Création d'un dépôt de garantie dans le cadre des opérations de crédit agricole
Lors de la visite au Niger au cours du mois de juillet du Directeur général de LuxDev, Gaston Schwartz, une lettre de cofinancement a été signée avec le Fonds d’investissement pour la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle (FISAN) et la Banque Agricole du Niger (BAGRI).

L’objectif de cette lettre consiste dans la mise en place d’un mécanisme provisoire de garantie bancaire à travers la création d’un dépôt de garantie dans le cadre des opérations de crédit agricole. Une consultance, appuyée par le programme NIG025, est en cours pour la mise en place d’un mécanisme définitif de garantie du FISAN.

Le programme NIG025, en collaboration avec la BAGRI, appuie le crédit agricole dans la région de Dosso à travers une subvention, adossée au crédit agricole, au bénéfice de projets d’investissement montés par les jeunes formés dans le cadre des activités du programme. Ce processus est aligné sur les directives du FISAN de la stratégie Initiative 3N « Les nigériens nourrissent les nigériens », constituant la politique sectorielle de développement rural au Niger.

Depuis le 1er janvier 2018, une nouvelle réglementation bancaire internationale impose des normes prudentielles plus sévères, applicables entre autres sur les couvertures requises pour les crédits accordés par les banques, notamment dans un secteur jugé à risque comme celui de l’agriculture. Dans ce contexte, la Coopération luxembourgeoise s’est portée volontaire pour initier un mécanisme de garantie provisoire, à travers cette lettre de cofinancement, en ouvrant la voie à d’autres partenaires techniques et financiers pour participer financièrement à l’initiative dans le souci d’une mutualisation des contributions.

La participation du programme NIG025 au dépôt de garantie s’élève à la somme de 150 000 000 FCFA soit 228 673,52 EUR et celle de l’Etat nigérien, pour l’année 2018, à la somme de 100.000.000 FCFA soit 152.449 EUR. La lettre de cofinancement à une durée de 12 mois et prévoit que les fonds du dépôt de garantie soit mutés dans le mécanisme définitif de garantie du FISAN, lorsque celui-ci sera juridiquement en place.

Les signataires de la Lettre de cofinancement, de gauche à droite : le Directeur Général de la BAGRI, le Président du Conseil d'Administration du FISAN, le Directeur Général de LuxDev.
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- 18 July
- By Mone SYSAVATH
- Asia Office LAO/028
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LAOS - Department of International Cooperation receives internal quality audit skills
On 09-10 July 2018, LAO/028 project provided an internal auditor workshop. The workshop was designed to train the internal auditor, to establish an audit check sheet, to construct audit questions, to use the process audit approach and to learn how to write audit reports on ISO 9001:2015 requirements. Auditors will require preparing value added audit questions, ensuring audits finding and preventing recurrence of similar non-conformance, and plan and managing internal audits as part of a continuous improvement program for ISO 9001 quality management systems.

The workshop is part of an ongoing development effort under the Capacity Strengthening of the MPI’s Department of International Cooperation LAO/028 Project Lao-Luxembourg Development Cooperation.

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