As part of the Lao-German ‘Human Resource Development for a Market Economy’ (HRDME) Programme , the Director, Dr. Manfred Matzdorf, handed over a server to Mr. Somdy Inmyxai, Director General of the SME Promotion and Development Office (SMEPDO) on Friday, 08.06.2007. Present was also the GTZ Country Director for Thailand and Laos, Mr. Juergen Koch. The new computer equipment is one more step of the GTZ-executed Programme to strengthen the Lao national SME promotion agency.

Since 2005, the agency provides information on its own website www.smepdo.org. Earlier this year, the SME Internet Center opened to the public in the SME building opposite That Fun Temple in Vientiane. With the new server these services can be further developed and upgraded. HRD-ME, who is one of the main partners of SME-PDO, also provides training and advice to the Lao agency in order to support the Lao SME sector composed of about 70.000 registered companies in Lao PDR. A national strategy and action plan to promote SME’s is in the finalisation stage to be announced soon. Joint studies of HRD-ME and SME-PDO revealed lack of business and market information as one of the major constraints in the development of Lao businesses.