Disasters, Conflicts and Migration 

For a more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters Country Profile. 

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities 

Laos is a land-locked country, and therefore relies on its neighbours Vietnam and Thailand for seaport services. Road transport is the predominant mode of freight transportation in the country, accounting for over 96% of the total freight transported. 13,997 km out of a total road network length of 59,647 km are paved with asphalt, concrete, or bitumen. 76% of the total road length is comprised of gravelled and earthen roads, of which nearly half are inaccessible during the rainy season. 

Rice is the major crop grown in the country and accounts for over 80 percent of the total cultivated 

areas. The major cultivation season is the wet (rainfed) paddy, which stretches from May to December, and normally accounts for almost 90 percent of the country’s annual paddy production. In the peak seasonal of storage and labour required in Laos is there might be some shortage of the labour to work in the loading and unloading areas. 

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response 

Government

National coordination and key partners 

The Centre Disaster Management Committee (CDMC) is shared by Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and membered by representatives from several ministries. The CDMC has its secretariat at the Department for Social Welfare in the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. The Committee’s duties include the following: 

i) Endorse strategic plans and action plans, and draft various legislation on disaster management; 

ii) Lead the coordination for protection and response to disasters across the country; 

iii) Encourage ministries and local authorities to implement plans on disaster management; 

iv) Urgently inform the Government on the status, severity and losses of lives and assets of the people when a disaster occurs and propose an immediate response plan for funding approval to respond to immediate and urgent needs; and 

v) Lead the implementation and cooperation with foreign, international and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) that are able to build capacity in disaster management. 

Provincial, district, and village structures 

Laos provincial and district Government offices have established Provincial and District Disaster Management Committees (P/DDMC). P/DDMCs implement Disaster Risk Management at sub-national and district levels, as they channel information and resources and establish links between national objectives, provincial priorities and local needs. As the coordinating body for DRM in provinces and districts, the P/DDMCs are responsible for preparing a Provincial or District Disaster Management Plan addressing both DRR and emergency response. 

These plans include the identification of a hazards/risk profile for the province/district; the formulation of required resources for preventive and mitigatory action; planning of emergency, recovery and restoration operations; and the production of damage and loss assessments. The PDMC is further expected to monitor hazards, risks, disaster threats and the conditions of vulnerable populations within their region, and conduct vulnerability analyses on emerging disaster-prone areas. The committees should identify and communicate training needs, conduct trainings and raise public awareness. The committees are also responsible for mobilizing and coordinating all interventions by other agencies in their province to ensure that disaster management fully reflects national priorities and guidelines. At the village level, DRM is employed through Village Disaster Protection Units (VDPU), which have already been established in a small number of communities. The village committee (led by a traditional village leader) is responsible for preparing DRM plans and procedures based on location-specific risk and vulnerability analysis and comprehensive hazard mapping for their respective locations. In case of an emergency, village committees have the operational responsibility to ensure that support is provided to the most affected households. 

For information on Laos Government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List. 

HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY 

Various United Nations agencies’ country representations play a crucial role in technically and financially supporting the Lao Government in DRM programmes, in addition to responding to humanitarian crises. They participate in several fora, sharing information and experiences and addressing issues such as natural disasters, climate change, food security and environmental protection. 

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) is responsible for ensuring the coordination of activities between various government ministries and the humanitarian agencies working in Lao PDR to prepare for, respond to and mitigate emergencies and disasters. The IASC is employed by several country teams, including UN agencies, international NGOs and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. These teams focus on different components in emergency response actions (Humanitarian Country Team, Inter-Cluster Coordination Group, Emergency Task Force, the Information Management Network and Provincial Focal Points) and cover various thematic areas (Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Food Security, Nutrition, Education, Shelter, Protection, Early Recovery, Logistics, Information, Communications and Technology).  

For information on Laos Humanitarian Agency contact details, please see the following link: 4.2 Humanitarian Agency Contact List. 

The Food & Drug Department

Any individual, commercial company, or agency wishing to import, or export food products must obtain in advance a permit from the Food Control Division under the Food and Drug Department of the Ministry of Health. Each province has a food and drug division at the provincial Ministry of Health offices.  The importer must use the prescribed form and the application must be accompanied by a number of supporting documents that will enable the Ministry of Health to assess the product. These documents may include an Analysis Certificate or other certificates, which are usually listed on the application form but, if in doubt, you should seek guidance from the relevant department of the Ministry of Health. Once the Import Permit has been issued, the document must be presented to Customs and to the Ministry of Health Inspector at the border when importing the goods. The importer then proceeds with the normal import procedure.

When the goods arrive at the border the importer or his authorized agent must present himself or herself to the Ministry of Health Officer who will check the documents and will carry out a physical inspection of the products to allow the consignment to be cleared.

Detailed guidelines and forms for import and export can be obtained from the Lao PDR Trade Portal - http://www.laotradeportal.gov.la/ or the department website http://www.fdd.gov.la/

Standards & Standards Organizations

There is the curtain standard that you need to follow when import-export or transit goods. There are 250 voluntaries ‘Lao National Standards’ that businesses and traders operating in Laos can choose to apply to the products they deal in. Procedures for applying the National Standards are provided for in the Law on Standardization and the PM Decree to Implement the Law on Standardization. https://www.laotradeportal.gov.la/index.php?r=SearchMeasures/standard

Conformity Assessment:  Conformity assessment available as per Law on Standardization 55/NA

Product Certification:  Product certification available as per Law on Standardization 55/NA

Accreditation: A accreditation bodies available as per Law on Standardization 55/NA

http://www.laotradeportal.gov.la/kcfinder/upload/files/Law_on_Standardization_English_2014.pdf

Labelling and Marking: According to regulation 027/CFDC, all food imported into Laos for consumer use must be labelled in accordance with Food and Drug Control Department requirements. In practice, this requirement is not always enforced.

Department of Standards and Metrology: Department of Intellectual Property. http://www.laotradeportal.gov.la/index.php?r=site/displayb&id=220

Agreement on Trade and Transport Facilitation

Laos became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2013, and is working towards meeting the requirements of the ASEAN Economic Community.

The following countries have granted Generalized System of Preference (GSP) status to Laos: Canada, Japan; Australia (no import tax); European Union; South Korea; Norway and Switzerland.

Presently, the border trade in the Lao PDR consists of 31 international checkpoints for entering by air and by land and water.   Lao PDR has entered into a joint venture agreement with Joint Commission in 16 countries, namely Vietnam, Thailand, Cuba, Cambodia, Myanmar, Russia, Mongolia, India, EU, China, Indonesia, the United States, Malaysia, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Brunei, and Republic of Korea. 

Customs Department

Lao Customs is the customs authority of Laos, with the responsibility of governing and overseeing the flow of goods, people and vehicles into and out of Laos; operating customs offices; and collecting import and export duty fees.

Lao customs is composed of the Customs Department, Customs Offices at the local level, Border Customs ports and Mobile Customs Units. Lao Customs operates regional offices in most towns and cities, including offices located in Attapeu, Bokeo, Bolikhamsai, Champassack, Huaphanh, Khammuane, Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Phongsaly, Saravanne, Savannnakhet, Sekong, Vientiane Municipality, Vientiane Province, Xayaboury, Xaysomboune Special Zone and Xieng Khouang.

For more information on regulatory departments and quality control laboratories’ contact details, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.3 Laboratory and Quality Testing Company Contact List.