The Policy Research Institute (PRI) has been conducting a technical cooperation project on SME finance with the Lao Development Bank (LDB), which is a state-owned commercial bank in the Lao PDR, in conjunction with the Japan Finance Corporation, Micro Business and Individual Unit (JFC-Micro) since June 2011.

       The purpose of this ongoing project is to improve the LDB’s capacity building, as well as its credit analysis ability, by providing JFC-Micro’s know-how.

       To this end, we have provided two supporting programs for branch managers and section heads of the LDB. We provided lectures on various topics including credit analysis methods, credit management support for entrepreneurs, and capacity building of JFC-Micro.

       We held the three-day seminar in three cities in the Lao PDR, namely in Luang Prabang, Pakse and Vientiane, from January 27 to February 6, 2013. We conducted lectures on credit analysis methods by utilizing case-studies and the format from the LDB itself, for 153 participants who are responsible for this task.

       Active discussions took place with a lot of questions raised by participants on JFC-Micro’s credit analysis methods, indicating that the seminar was fruitful due to high level of interests among the participants.

       We also discussed how to go forward this technical cooperation project with the LDB top executives at the headquarters. During the meeting, it was decided that we would hold a fourth seminar in the Lao PDR in late August or September 2013 and that the target group would be branch staff who are responsible for credit analysis.

                 【Lecture in Luang Prabang】

【Participants in Vientiane round】