Extracts. Who says economics and the environment don¹t mix? Khonephachanh Phetpomair �Environmental economics¹ is the latest buzzword to hit Lao development circles. Monitoring and research into the macroeconomics sector, especially as it relates to science, technology and the environment is an important current task for Laos. Experts who recognise this task have recently organised an environmental economics conference, held by the Science, Technology, and Environment Agency (STEA) in co-operation with the Environment Economics Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA). STEA Director, Mr Sakhone Chaleunvong and EEPSEA Director, Mr David Glover, officially opened the meeting between April 2-4 at the STEA offices. The conference aims to improve the ability of state and local authorities in monitoring natural resources to ensure their sustainability and their continued significance for the Lao economy. It is also being run to exchange information on environmental economics and to upgrade the skills of local STEA staff by getting them to draw on the experiences of EEPSEA experts.. The conference will also enhance the ability of the Government to formulate and implement a suitable socio-economic development programme, which will help to reduce poverty and environmental degradation and at the same time boost the national economy. Training local staff to research environmental protection issues and to consider how they can be combined with current economic policy is a vital source of human resource development for Laos. The economy has been growing rapidly. The average population growth rate has also increased to 2.6 per cent per year. consequently, infrastructure and basic living needs of the people have to be balanced with the sustainability of the natural resources that have the potential to meet these needs. ³We are working through our current problems very efficiently thanks to conferences such as this one,² said Mr Sakhone Chaleunvong. **** Minority youngsters get the basics Lamphoun Assanani The education of young Lao from all backgrounds has long been a cornerstone of Government developmental policies. Lao youngsters are the future of the country, and none are in more vital need of assistance in order to realise their capabilities than children of rural communities and ethnic minorities. To this end the Non-Formal Education Department and the Dutch organisation, International Chisterigk Strunsonds (ICS Asia), came together on Monday to create a project entitled ³Improving the Quality of Education and Basic skills for Children and Girls in Champassak Province.² Various highly regarded people were involved in getting the project off the ground including the Director of the Non-Formal Education Department, Sengthong Norintha, Director of ICS-Asia, Somnuek Chansoda, and Vice Minister of Education, Bounthone Sengkhammy. The project will operate in five villages in Soukhouma district Champassak province. It will assist in the establishment of four primary schools and a secondary school for tribal students in the province. This is the first education project for children in Champassak province. It will place a particular emphasis on girls¹ education in rural areas due to the realisation that females often grow up to fulfill the most important social role, and widespread gender discrimination prevents them from realising this role. Financial support for the project will be provided by ICS Asia and will amount to US$ 125,000. Twenty per cent of these funds will be used to manage the project and eighty per cent will be used for the construction of facilities and for training purposes. The project aims to promote government policies as they relate to the issue of non-formal education. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
