Natural resources sector vows to accelerate projects affected by Covid-19

The Natural Resources and Environment Sector Working Group (NRESWG) plans to accelerate implementation of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s priority projects affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The group also aims to ensure the alignment of ongoing and future activities through the NRESWG platform, as well as assist and support the group to obtain access to climate finance and other financing mechanisms.

A report on these plans was presented at a Sector Meeting for 2020 held at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on Friday. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Minister Dr Saynakhone Inthavong.
The meeting featured a presentation and discussion on the activities undertaken by the Natural Resources and Environment Sector Working Group and goals despite challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year marks the final year of the ministry’s five-year plan and the beginning of the new period (2021-2025) as well as the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2021-2025.
The Working Group outlined the direction of the new five-year plan.
The group’s achievements in 2020 included completion of the National Land Use Master Plan 2030 and ongoing implementation of a pilot project on the recognition of tenure rights in three forests in Khammuam province.
In the area of land use planning, the group created cadastral land maps and updated land use planning maps in Luang Prabang and Xieng Khuang provinces and oversaw land registration and the issuing of titles.
The group completed nationwide land titling and the development of a systematic land management system and database management (Laolandreg, and LUIS).
The implementation of some activities was delayed because of the pandemic and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment re-organised its institutional structure in May which also resulted in some delays and poor coordination among some sectors.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update December 8, 2020)