As written by RECOFTC on February 20″ 2012.

A national workshop on Forest Tenure and Policies in Lao PDR was held in Vientiane from November 28-29″ 2011. The workshop was hosted by the Department of Forests of Lao PDR” with support from RECOFTC and RRI. The key objective of the workshop was to continue the process of learning on forest land tenure reform from various countries” review and reflect on the current states of forest tenure in Lao PDR” and work out on pathways to forest tenure change. 

The workshop was attended by 89 participants representing government agencies” national assembly” civil society groups” and international organizations working in Lao PDR. In order to share experience of reforming forest tenure from other countries” resource persons were also invited from China” Nepal” Brazil and Vietnam. 

Workshop participants discussed on the following four thematic issues and identified gaps” opportunities and assistance needed to address those gaps and challenges.

• Review of current status of policies and laws

• Review of existing information and knowledge system

• Review of institutional arrangement at central and local levels

• Review of existing external assistance in promoting community and private based forest management

Participants working on each theme also presented some recommendations and proposed ways forward in advancing forest tenure and policy changes in Lao PDR. In the context of a recent issuance of communal land titling in Sangthong district” it is expected that community rights and benefits will receive greater consideration in the whole process of revision of current policies and laws in Lao PDR.