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• 2020
• • 5 Mars
  • Par Philip Pearce
  • 
  • Bureau Asie LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS - E-Library at Faculty of Law and Political ScienceGreater access to electronic resources for the National University of Laos

  In a joint undertaking with the University of Luxembourg, the Support Programme for Legal Teaching and Training and to the Promotion of the Rule of Law Concept in Laos, Project LAO/031, has successfully worked with the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLP) and the organisation Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL) to set up an initial electronic library (E-Library). As a result, faculty members and students connected to the FLP’s Wi-Fi – and soon the Wi-Fi of the other faculties of the National University of Laos (NUoL) – are able to access a range of e-resources and journal articles from digital libraries and databases such as JSTOR, HeinOnline and Taylor & Francis.

  

  In a first step, LAO/031 hired the services of an IT company to increase the network bandwidth at the FLP. This created the conditions for the University of Luxembourg to sign an agreement with EIFL, who in turn provided access to e-resources and an anti-plagiarism software, URKUND, for the National University of Laos as an institution. More specifically, as part of this agreement, access is granted to the external IP addresses of NUoL and its faculties.

  Ms. Rima Kupryte, Managing Director of EIFL, visited the FLP and NUoL’s Central Library on 24th and 25th of February, where, together with representatives from the University of Luxembourg and LAO/031, she met with a range of stakeholders and the Vice-President of NUoL, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oudom Phonekhampheng. The purpose of her visit was two-fold: First, to promote this initiative, and second, to organise future trainings with librarians and faculty members on the use and management of the e-library and the institutional repository.

  

  While both the e-library and the institutional repository will need to be developed further, the multidisciplinary electronic databases can already be accessed at the FLP. This is an important step in the improvement of higher education standards at the FLP, as it allows faculty members and students to access the knowledge they need for their academic research.

   

  The Support Programme for Legal Teaching and Training and to the Promotion of the Rule of Law Concept in Laos, Project LAO/031, is implemented by LuxDev and funded by the Luxembourg Development Cooperation. 

   

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• • 7 Janvier
  • Par Philip Pearce
  • 
  • LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS – “Law and Development from the Lao PDR’s Perspective”Second Annual Legal Research Forum held at the Faculty of Law and Political Science

  The second Annual Legal Research Forum took place on 19 December 2019 at the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLP) of the National University of Laos (NUoL), with the support of the Support Programme for Legal Teaching and Training and to the Promotion of the Rule of Law Concept in Laos (Project LAO/031) and the University of Luxembourg.

  

  The forum was attended by Prof. Dr. Somsy Gnophanxay, President of NUoL, and Assoc. Prof. Viengvilay Thiengchanxay, Dean of the FLP, as well as a number of legal practitioners, academics, students and members from various organisations and the public.

  This year’s edition was held under the theme of “Law and Development from the Lao PDR’s Perspective” and included presentations on topics such as tax law, administrative responsibility for water pollution, minimum flows of rivers, labour laws, and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Lao PDR. The majority of presenters were faculty members of the FLP, with the event providing an open space for the discussion of ideas and recommendations on how the rule of law can contribute towards the development of the Lao PDR. Additionally, it allowed FLP researchers, some of whom have recently completed their doctoral studies abroad, to present the results of their research.

  The forum was the result of the collaboration between the FLP, Project LAO/031 and the University of Luxembourg. The University of Luxembourg specifically provided its expertise at the event by sending doctoral researcher Mr. Andrii Hubai to present on the investment protection system and the mechanism of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS).

  The forum complemented a recent conference on different perspectives on good governance and the rule of law, organised by the EU and UNDP. Both initiatives also served as a platform to revisit the progress made under the Legal Sector Master Plan (LSMP), which was adopted in 2009 with the goal of establishing a rule of law state by 2020. 

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• 2019
• • 5 Décembre
  • Par Philip Pearce
  • 
  • LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS - 2019 accomplishments are ratified and 2020 plan is approved.

  During the Steering Committee of the Support Programme for Legal Teaching and Training and to the Promotion of the Rule of Law Concept in Laos, LAO/031, chaired by Mrs. Khanthaly Siriphongphanh, Vice Minister of Education and Sports, Mr. Bounsavard Boupha, Vice Minister of Justice, and co-chaired by Mr. Sam Schreiner, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in Lao PDR, it was noted that the LAO/031 project had made great progress over the course of 2019.

  The meeting took place on 28 November 2019 at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Vientiane, Lao PDR.

  Its most notable achievements are:

  • the establishment of four (4) legal aid offices in various provinces; and
  • the project contribution towards increasing awareness on legal issues and the rule of law via the production of technical guides and the dissemination of the newly established Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Law for legal practitioners.

  Mr. Boupha stated that these accomplishments put the project’s activities in the right direction and that these are aligned with the priorities of the Ministry of Justice and the Lao PDR’s efforts towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16.

  The Project Steering Committee also:

  • considered strategic decisions with regard to the implementation of the project;
  • reviewed project performance; and
  • validated and endorsed the annual work plan as well as other resolutions required for the smooth running of the project.

  For the next year, the PSC stated that Project LAO/031 will continue with the activities carried out in 2019, but will put further emphasis on the Faculty of Law and Political Science’s target to attain ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) standards by the end of the project in 2022.

  With the project’s Mid-Term Evaluation planned for early 2020, both Mrs. Siriphongphanh and Mr. Schreiner commended the project for its work and the high number of beneficiaries that have already benefitted from the numerous capacity building workshops organised by the project.

  The LAO/031 project is financed by the Luxembourg Cooperation and implemented by LuxDev the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.  

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• • 4 Novembre
  • Par Philip Pearce
  • 
  • Bureau Asie LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS - A further step towards ensuring equal access to justice for allLegal Aid offices launched in Bokeo and Luang Namtha Provinces

  Project LAO/031 has now supported the establishment of four legal aid offices in various provinces. 

  In the presence of his H.E. Bounsavath Boupha, Vice-Minister of Justice, two new Legal Aid offices were opened in Laos’ northern provinces of Bokeo and Luang Namtha, with the support of Project LAO/031 - Support Programme for Legal Teaching and Training and to the Promotion of the Rule of Law Concept in Laos.

  Legal Aid offices support the poor and marginalised sectors of society by providing free legal information and advice, and in some cases, legal representation. The provision of such a service requires not only a designated office space with modern equipment, but also skilled lawyers and civil servants who have legal expertise and are familiar with relevant laws. As such, LAO/031 also provides support for the training of officers and for the dissemination of the Decree on Legal Aid and its implementation.

  Moreover, under Lao law, lawyers of the Lao Bar are required to carry out 40 hours of pro bono legal aid work.

  While the project is bound to support the Ministry of Justice’s efforts to set up further legal aid offices, it must be noted that the official opening of an office is just a first step. Citizens must now be made aware of the existence and concept of legal aid offices.

  Staff from the Ministry of Justice learn about the procedures of providing legal aid services to users. 

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• • 10 Septembre
  • Par Philip Pearce
  • 
  • Bureau Asie LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS - Minister Lenert and Delegation visit the Faculty of Law and Political Science of the National University

  © LuxDev 2019

  H. E. Paulette Lenert, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, together with a delegation comprising Members of Parliament and Representatives from LuxDev and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, officially visited the Faculty of Law and Political Science of the National University of Laos (NUoL) on Tuesday 10th September 2019.

  The event was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kongsy Sengmany, Vice-Minister of Education and Sports, Prof. Dr. Somsy Gnophanxay, President of NUoL, development partners, and more than 150 faculty members and students.

  In her speech, Minister Lenert stated that the rule of law is a necessary precondition for a peaceful order and prosperity. “All Sustainable Development Goals can only be reached if there is a responsible exercise of power and redistribution of wealth”, she explained. The Minister also underlined the importance of education, which is a pillar of the Lao Legal Sector Master Plan and key in fostering a strong legal culture.

  © LuxDev 2019

  The Minister added that, while Lao PDR has made steady progress towards the Rule of Law, important challenges remain, especially with regard to improving legal awareness and access to laws and academic legal sources.

  © LuxDev 2019

  The speech was followed by a question & answer session with faculty members and students, and a role-play presentation led by students on the topic of gender-based violence, which is periodically organised by the Clinical Legal Education Centre with the aim of improving awareness on important legal issues throughout the country.

  

  © LuxDev 2019

  The event took place in the context of the Minister’s wider visit to Luxembourg-funded projects in Laos. The Faculty of Law and Political Science is supported by three Luxembourg actors, namely LuxDev Project Lao/031, the Institute for Legal Support and Technical Assistance (ILSTA), and the University of Luxembourg.

  © LuxDev 2019

  Laos has been a partner country for Luxembourg’s development cooperation since 1997. Luxembourg development cooperation has been supporting legal education in Laos for the past ten years, with Minister Lenert recently reaffirming Luxembourg’s long-standing commitment to supporting good governance in Laos.

  

  © LuxDev 2019

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

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• • 26 Juillet
  • Par Philip Pearce
  • 
  • Bureau Asie LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS - Mid-Year Review and Technical Coordination Committee Meeting

  On 17th July 2019, Project LAO/031 titled ‘Legal Teaching and Training and Promotion of the Rule of Law Concept in Lao PDR’ held its Mid-Year Review and Technical Coordination Committee Meeting. The Mid-Year Review provides an opportunity for the project and its stakeholders to review the performance and activities of the project over the last 6 months, as well as to agree plans for the rest of the year. Among the 2019 accomplishments, Project LAO/031 can count a high number of trainings carried out for civil servants, legal practitioners, and faculty members of higher education institutions. Furthermore, with the project now supporting the opening of Legal Aid Offices and trainings for Village Mediation Committees, it is ensuring that the poor and marginalized sectors of society are gaining increased access to justice.

  

  From the comments raised at the Mid-Year Review, it became clear that there is an increasing demand for the project’s implementing partner, Institute of Legal Support and Technical Assistance, to expand its ‘English for Law’ programme. With the Mid-Term Evaluation of the project coming up at the start of 2020, the project is continuously aiming to increase its performance in order to reach this year’s targets.

   

   

   

   

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• • 4 Avril
  • Par Reginald M. Pastrana
  • 
  • Bureau Asie LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS - Khammouane Legal Aid Office Praised

  H.E. Bounsavath Boupha, Vice Minister of Justice (fourth from the right), in the presence of various justice officials, members of the Lao Bar Association, district heads of Khammouane Province of the Ministry of Justice and the CTA of LuxDev LAO/031, formally opens the Legal Aid Office.

  On the 25th March 2019, under the auspices of Project LAO/031, a high-ranking justice ministry official lauded the launching of a legal aid office in Khammouane, stating that it will improve and ensure effective access to justice for vulnerable and marginalized groups in the province. Vice Minister of Justice H.E. Bounsavath Boupha also expressed his gratitude that the legal aid office was established in Khammouane where the first trainings on good practices and legal aid implementation guidelines will be provided to Justice Officers from 10 districts.

  In 2018, the government of Laos issued a decree that adopts and spells out procedures for the implementation of legal aid programmes. Consequently, LAO/031 aims to establish at least one (1) legal aid office every year in the provinces identified in the Indicative Cooperation Programme (ICP) between the Government of Laos and the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.

  

  Reginald M. Pastrana, LuxDev Chief Technical Advisor of LAO/031, emphasized that the establishment of a legal aid office is only the start and that the project would provide further trainings to support these structures moving forward. Furthermore, trainings will also be delivered by volunteers the Lao Bar Association (LBA) who have committed to providing pro bono legal aid services to eligible beneficiaries. These include poor and vulnerable groups, people with disabilities and vulnerable children, among others. Legal Aid generally involves the provision of information, consultations, and court or trial representatives

  Vice Minister of Justice Boupha also took note of the ambitious goal of the Ministry of Justice to have one legal aid office unit in every district administration office. He expressed his sincere gratitude to the Project LAO/031 in expressing its support in setting up at least four (4) legal aid offices and providing capacity building trainings to the legal staffs who will be maintaining these offices.

  After the launch of the legal aid office, Mr. Pastrana, together with various government resource persons, conducted lectures and capacity development workshops for staff of the new legal aid office. It is expected that this provincial legal aid office will help people overcome legal issues, involving land disputes, family issues, sexual violence, victims of injustices and other legal problems afflicting the local population. Combined with the planned activities on raising legal awareness and providing training to Village Mediation Committees, LAO/031 aims to ensure that access to justice is inclusive and supported at the grassroots level.

  

  

  

   

   

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• • 25 Janvier
  • Par Philip Pearce
  • 
  • Bureau Asie LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS - Training Programme on International Law and Human RightsThe four-day training strengthened university lecturers’ knowledge of International Law

  The first of two training workshops on International Law and Human Rights took place in Savannakhet from 8 – 11 January 2019. The activity, jointly supported by the European Union’s Citizens’ Engagement for Good Governance and Accountability (EU-CEGGA) Programme and LuxDev LAO/031 project in coordination with the Department of Treaty and Law (DTL) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLP) of the National University of Laos, aims to consolidate and complement the legal knowledge of lecturers from the FLP, the Faculty of Law and Administration (FLA) of Champasak University, and Savannakhet University.

  Opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Bounkhong Phetdaohoung, Head of the International Relations Department of the FLP, Mrs. Viengvone Kittavong, Deputy Director General of DTL, Mr. Bryan Fornari, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the EU to Lao PDR, and Mr. Reginald Pastrana, Chief Technical Advisor of LAO/031. During four days, the participants benefited from an interactive training on international law - how it evolved and developed, its sources and especially its relationship with domestic law. Other insightful topics taken up involved jurisdiction and sovereignty, the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, and the role of the United Nations and regional organisations in shaping international law. A core subject of discussion throughout the workshop was the application and adoption of international law and obligations into Lao law.

  Two resource people from the DTL presented the final two topics. One presenter was Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, a human rights expert, a practicing lawyer and a Member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka who has previously worked in Lao PDR. He presented a number of legal jurisprudence cases from his native country. Dr. Jayampathy encouraged the active involvement of the participants and recommended that they use their existing expertise in specialised subjects.

  The training also fulfilled the lecturers’ different needs:

  • it provided them an opportunity to consolidate their knowledge of law;
  • answered their specific areas of interest and removed doubts; and
  • learned them legal concepts in English.

  By engaging local experts in the DTL, and by targeting lecturers as beneficiaries, it is hoped that this activity will promote sustainable results and provide knowledge that the teachers could apply and share in their own lectures.

  This activity marks the developing coordination between LAO/031 and the EU-CEGGA programme. Further cooperation is taking place with regard to the sourcing of books for the FLP Library. It was announced that the second training workshop will be scheduled later this year.

  

  

  

   

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• 2018
• • 21 Décembre
  • Par Philip Pearce
  • 
  • Bureau Asie LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS - Promoting Research in Support of the Rule of LawFirst-ever National Legal Research Forum takes place at the Faculty of Law and Political Science

  The National Legal Research Forum, organised by the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLP) with the support of Project LAO/031, took place on the 19th December in Vientiane with the aim of creating a platform for the discussion of legal issues and for the free exchange of ideas among academics and researchers.

  In the context of Lao PDR’s ambition to implement its Legal Sector Master Plan (LSMP) and 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP), which would see the country graduate from Least Development Country (LDC) status and become a state fully governed by the rule of law by 2020, legal research and expertise continue to play an important role in shaping legislation and in informing strategic decisions.

  For these reasons, the National Legal Research Forum, which is the first of its kind, was a welcome and timely event. Participants included students, teachers, researchers, and other professionals from institutions encompassing the National University of Laos (NuOL), the Faculty of Law and Administration (FLA) of Champasak University, the National Institute of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the University of Luxembourg.

  

  The opening speeches on the Research Policy of the NuOL and the Relevancy of Research in the Promotion of the Rule of Law were given by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somchanh Bounphanmy, Vice President of NuOL, and Mr. Reginald Pastrana, CTA of LAO/031, respectively. Over the course of the day, 18 researchers presented on various topics, including the village settlement resolution dispute, the death penalty, judgments on road accidents, ASEAN-EU cooperation on human rights concerns, and many others. 

  

  With the presentation and the initiation of discussions on such pertinent topics for Lao society, the main objective of the forum was to highlight legal issues and the suitability of legislation, which can act as a feedback mechanism for the Lao government and its law drafters. Moreover, the forum allowed FLP and NuOL members to present the results of their recent studies and will encourage other scholars to carry out new research.

  

  Nine exhibition stands were also set up, displaying the manuals and materials from Project LAO/031, the Institute for Legal Support and Technical Assistance (ILSTA), the Clinical Legal Education (CLE), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and others. All these initiatives have contributed towards improving research capacity and fostering a research environment at the faculty. Notwithstanding, no one is resting on their laurels; the objective for next year’s edition is to expand and render it international by inviting guest lecturers from abroad.

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

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• • 18 Décembre
  • Par Reginald M. Pastrana
  • 
  • Bureau Asie LAO/031
  • Gouvernance
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  LAOS - Rule of law and legal education programmes gain momentum

  Legal education and rule of law programmes have gained significant accomplishments in 2018. During the second Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting of LuxDev LAO/031 held on 18 December 2018, a 5-year project of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Government of Lao PDR; major accomplishments have been achieved on the rule of law and the improvement of the legal education.

  

  On the rule of law as per report of the Institute of Legal Studies and Technical Assistance (ILSTA), the implementing partner of LAO/031, thousands of key stakeholders in the legal sector received legal training workshops and public lectures. Likewise, 426 government officials were trained on English proficiency, 10 court assessments, 101 judges’ assessments, 96 prosecutors’ assessments, 245 anti-money laundering assessments and 301 anti-corruption assessments.

  On the development of legal education, LAO/031 has reported that 324 legal educators were trained on various teaching skills, research design and methodology, etc. The project has also completed all the necessary assessments for the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLP) and the Faculty of Law and Administration (FLA) of the Champassak University-paving the way of developing to the next level of new legal curricula and elevating the said faculties towards higher quality assurance (QA) standards.

  

  During its recent annual review, the PSC approved the project 2018 Annual Work Plan and the 2019 Annual Operational Plan. The PSC that was just conducted were chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Khamphay Sisavanh, Vice Minister of Education and Sports, H.E. Mr. Bounsavad Boupha, Vice Minister of Justice, and co-chaired by Mr. Sam Schreiner, Chargé d´Affaires of the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

  

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