Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry as national focal point for business throughout the country has conducted ‘COVID-19 Impact on Business Survey’ in April 2020. The purpose of the survey was to gather data on the impact of COVID-19 on businesses throughout the country to report them to LNCCI’s COVID-19 Research Taskforce Committee, National Taskforce Committees, public agencies and other agencies that are of a position to take advantage of such data to study the effects of COVID-19 more comprehensively, develop evidence-based policies and measures, as well as devise business, economic and social development plans – for the benefit of all – so as to abate the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and its workforce, safeguard employment, improve business environment, and ensure the recovery of Lao PDR’s economy.
This Survey Report will assess the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, limiting to the period of COVID-19 outbreak [during these past months] to shine light upon the impact of coronavirus outbreak itself and to prompt the recommendations of short-term mitigating solutions. Upon completion of this Survey Report, LNCCI envisages to conduct further surveys in the next phase with an aim to: (a) bring clarity on the effects of COVID-19 itself, (b) support the development of medium- and long-term solutions to abate such impact as short-term ones may become irrelevant when circumstances change, as well as (c) reevaluate the effectiveness of COVID-19 relief measures and policies. By consecutively conducting these surveys, it will aid LNCCI and other agencies that are able to exploit collected data to further evaluate the effects of coronavirus more comprehensively and continuously improve recovery policies and measures to appropriately reflect the situation from time to time.