The management of logistics and supply chains is considered as one of the priorities for the ministry, the Transport Department Acting Director General under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Bouaphet Xayasane, said during the opening ceremony of the three-day seminar on ‘Logistics and Supply Chain Management’.
The seminar aims to enhance the capacity of Lao personnel from various enterprises to better understand domestic and international logistics and the management of supply chains.
“Nowadays, logistics and supply chains play a significant role in regional and international integration, and the development of human resources is needed for the public and private sectors,” Bouaphet said.
He said logistics significantly influence the cost of goods transport from a production base to market.
Producers in least developed countries typically spend between 15 to 20 per cent or more of their total costs on logistics while more developed countries pay just 4 to 9 per cent for equivalent services.
“To minimise logistics costs, the supply chain is an answer but it has to be well managed and appropriately associated with various production processes, business units and product distributors, and consumers,” he said.
Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vanthong Sitthikoun, said the steady growth of the Lao economy had been assisted by the positive influence of membership of the World Trade Organisation and the Asean Economic Community.
“Logistics services contribute to the growth of the economy, and the wider business sector is also associated with and benefitting from those achievements,” he said.
The seminar would provide the greatest possible opportunity for participants to deepen their knowledge about logistics from experienced lecturers, he added.
The seminar is co-organised by the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship, Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC) and Lao International Freight Forwarders Association.
There will be several key speakers from a Thai university and the TNSC.
The similarity of the Lao and Thai languages will enable participants to understand more about the importance and benefits of logistics and supply chains.
Seminar participants will not only learn about services but also about the revolution in logistics and supply chain management as well as trade and logistics linkage in supply chains.
Source: Vientianetimes Newspaper
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