To achieve the targets on economic growth and poverty reduction that were set in the 6th 5-year Socio-Economic Development Plan from 2006-2010, specifically the focus on improving the business infrastructure, which is demonstrated in a more favorable climate for investment at national, regional as well as sectoral level. Therefore, the Lao-German Human Resource Development for Market Economy Programme (HRD-ME) has been supporting the Committee for Planning and Investment (CPI) in organizing Provincial Public—Private Sector Dialogues (PPPD) in 4 different provinces, namely Champasack, Vientiane Capital, Luangprabang and Savannakhet. From each of these dialogue sessions, numerous issues were raised of which some were province-specific and some were related to the central Line Ministries. These issues provide feedback on the government policies, laws and regulations and their practical application by the concerned Line Ministries or related Departments from the central government or local agencies.

The United Nations started in July 2006 a joint project of its Development Programme UNDP and its Industrial De-velopment Organization UNIDO to promote private sector development in the Lao People's Democratic Republic by strengthening chambers of commerce and industry and business associations. Private sector development is recognized as the engine of growth that is essential for poverty reduction. The project strategy is based on the premise that strong and functional business membership organizations (BMOs) are essential for the development of a vigorous private business sector