Dr. Oulavanh Keovilignavong

Dr. Oulavanh Keovilingavong is a senior social safeguards, applied research, and development specialist with more than 15 years of experience in Lao PDR and the Mekong region. His expertise spans resettlement and social safeguards, land and natural resource governance, rural livelihoods, socio-economic research, monitoring and evaluation, institutional strengthening, climate resilience, and water and environmental governance. He has worked with leading international and development organizations including the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Mekong River Commission (MRC), FAO, IFAD, UNDP-supported programs, and the Lao Australia Connectivity Partnership. He previously served as Country Manager and Researcher at IWMI’s Lao Country Office, where his work focused on policy, institutions, land, water, agriculture, livelihoods, and natural resource governance. At ESL, Dr. Oulavanh provides senior technical leadership and advisory support for complex social and environmental assignments across the hydropower, mining, infrastructure, climate, health, and development sectors. His recent work includes owner-side resettlement advisory services for a major hydropower project, socio-economic and livelihood studies, environmental and social management planning, community health and climate resilience, resource-efficiency programs, and third-party environmental and social reviews. Dr. Oulavanh combines applied research with practical consulting and policy experience, enabling him to translate complex social, institutional, and development issues into practical recommendations for project developers, government agencies, development partners, and communities. He holds a Ph.D. in Human Geography from the University of Sydney, Australia; a Master’s Degree in International Development from the International University of Japan; and a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce and Economics from the University of Wollongong, Australia. He is also an extensively published researcher, with work covering land tenure and land-use planning, resettlement, mining governance, food security, groundwater, Mekong drought, infrastructure development, and rural livelihoods.