From 25-29 May 2026, the JuSTICE Project, funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), supported the Department of Enforcement of Judgments (DEJ) of the Ministry of Justice in delivering a five-day series of pilot trainings on enforcement procedures in Vientiane Capital, with support from experts of the International Union of Judicial Officers (UIHJ), Mr Jos Uitdehaag and Ms Zlaty Mihailova.
The pilot trainings marked the culmination of a longer trainer-development process supported through our JuSTICE-DEJ-UIHJ partnership. Following the Training of Trainers programme conducted in 2025 and the refresher mission in March 2026, Lao trainers were able to put the courses they had developed into practice with enforcement officers from across the country.
Over five days, seven trainer groups delivered pilot courses on voluntary execution, communication with parties in enforcement proceedings, enforcement measures, asset valuation, auction and sale of assets, eviction, and debt collection and settlement. The Lao trainers themselves led the sessions, while the UIHJ experts observed, mentored and provided structured feedback.
Around 15 enforcement officers representing provinces across Lao PDR participated throughout the week. The sessions emphasised practical and interactive learning through case studies, discussions, simulations and exchanges on provincial practices. Feedback after each pilot helped trainers strengthen their facilitation skills and further refine the training materials.
By the end of the process, seven complete training packages had been developed and tested, providing DEJ with a core group of Lao trainers and practical resources for future enforcement training.
As part of the same final UIHJ mission, lessons from the pilots also informed a subsequent consultation with DEJ leadership on the further development of the DEJ Training Plan and the official endorsement of Guidelines on the Enforcement of Judgments, helping connect training with broader efforts to promote more consistent enforcement practice across Lao PDR.
