16 December 2014: Over 30 business leaders from 19 countries, policy makers, international organizations, Lao PDR private sector representatives and donor agencies gathered to discuss progress under the Pro-Poor Public-Private Partnership (5P) project being piloted in Lao PDR. The workshop, titled ‘5P: Scaling-Up Off-Grid Rural Electrification in Lao PDR,’ resulted in a redefinition of rural electrification goals and recommendations on market expansion and enterprise development through venture capital.

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) hosted the workshop on 6-12 December 2014 in Vientiane, Lao PDR, with the goal of gathering private sector perspectives on the business, financing and policy models employed by 5P. This comprehensive analysis exercise was led by the Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT) Global Leaders Programme, and the resulting recommendations will be incorporated into the 5P project in Nam Ngim Village, Xayabouly Province, Lao PDR.

Over a decade old, the 5P model was first implemented by ESCAP in Indonesia. The model helps off-grid communities partner with the private sector on joint electric utility ventures. For instance, a community might invest in a mini solar grid and earn returns that can be re-invested into social or economic programmes. 5P is also being piloted in Nepal. [ESCAP Press Release] [ESCAP Event Webpage]