PCFV holds workshop in Laos

The PCFV held a successful two-day workshop on Clean Fuels and Vehicles in Vientiane, Laos on 4–5 August 2008. The workshop was opened and chaired by the Director General, Department of Transport, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Mr.Viengsavath Siphandone.

This workshop was a follow-up to an earlier presentation on clean fuels and vehicles made during the Environmental Sustainable Transport Strategy (EST) workshop held in Vientiane on 23-24 June 2008. The presentation was made by the United Nations Center for Regional Development (UNCRD) on behalf of the PCFV.

The workshop was attended by 60 participants drawn from a cross section of government agencies including the Department of Transport and Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Finance, Mineral and Energy, Housing and Urban Planning, and Public Security. Also present was the Environment Monitoring, Water Resource & Environment Agency. There was a strong representation of Industry, NGOs and the Academia through entities such as Indochina Petroleum, Shell, Lao State Fuel Enterprise, Road and Rail Transport Companies – including the Tuk Tuk and Van Associations amongst others.

Discussions at the meeting indicated that Laos’s gasoline imports are unleaded. The workshop made several recommendations including: Improving the legal framework to ensure complete phase-out of leaded gasoline; development of a fuel quality strategy and technical standards for vehicles; creating public awareness on clean fuels and vehicles; and establishment of a policy on import and export of vehicles both second-hand and new, as well as for assembled kits. The workshop also reached a broad consensus on prioritizing sulphur reduction as the next action area.

The workshop was held in partnership with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, under the coordination of the Department of Transport. The department is also the focal point of the National Transport Committee, undertaking the Environmental Sustainable Transport Strategy (EST) facilitated by UNCRD. » More