On June 27-28 government representatives from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam spent two days learning about different models of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) with a focus on more complex issues around PPPs including financial viability, economic viability and efficient risk allocation.

This hands-on workshop was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, as part of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia's (ERIA) Capacity Building Programme.

The participants came from different ministries in their respective countries, reflecting the importance of officials from a wide range of ministries understanding the issue. For the first time, one participant also came as a member of Technical Staff (Economics Department) from one of the parliaments, the National Assembly of Lao PDR.

The workshop was opened by ERIA Capacity Building Coordinator, Mr Jeremy Gross, with welcoming speeches being given by Mr Andreas Zurbrugg, Charge d'Affaires, Australian Embassy to Lao PDR, and Dr Leeber Leebouapao, Director General of Lao's National Economic Research Institute (NERI). The trainers/facilitators for the workshop were Mr Windhu Hidranto, PPP Specialist, currently Deputy Team Leader, Policy Team - National Roads Program, IndII, Aurecon (Indonesia), Mr John Cheong-Holdaway, an Asset Management and Infrastructure Policy Adviser, and Dr Fauziah Zen, ERIA Economist.

The workshop was held under ERIA's Australian Government funded Capacity Building Programme.