United Nations in Lao PDR

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. In addition to 17 global goals, in 2016 the Government of Lao PDR has formally launched the national SDG18, ‘Lives Safe from UXO’ (unexploded ordnance), in the presence of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. As UXO remains an issue affecting national development in multiple dimensions, Lao PDR's output under the SDG18 contributes to the national outcomes under all the other SDGs. On the present map, some of the activities attributed to Vientiane are those which are carried out across the whole country.

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17 November 2021

Government of Lao PDR and United Nations sign 2022-2026 Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, strengthening the UN’s support to the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan

The Government of Lao PDR, represented by H.E. Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the United Nations (UN), represented by Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator to Lao PDR, officially signed the 2022-2026 Lao PDR-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). The brief signing ceremony took place a day ahead of the 13th High-Level Round Table Meeting, at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, in Vientiane, with limited physical participation, acknowledging the ongoing rise of COVID-19 infections in the country’s capital. Succeeding the 2017-2021 Lao PDR- UN Partnership Framework, the 2022-2026 UNSDCF is the first since the reform of the UN development system, ushered in by the adoption by UN General Assembly Resolution 72/279 in 2018, transforming the way the UN works, building a platform for greater coordination, coherence, effectiveness, and development impact. The implementation of the UN Reform through the UNSDCF is characterised by strengthened alignment to national development priorities, comprehensive and interconnected strategic priorities, a structure underpinned by results-based management principles, streamlined coordination mechanisms, and a practical and targeted monitoring and evaluation framework. The signing officially marks the end of a process that started in August 2020, with the adoption of an agreed roadmap between the UN and the Government of Lao PDR on the further elaboration of the new Framework. The formulation process was highly consultative, with numerous exchanges held between UN entities, together with the Government of Lao PDR, with development partners, civil society, and private sector representatives to seek and reflect broad-based views and aspirations. The signing also allows for the beginning of the implementation of the SDCF on 1 January 2022. The UNSDCF is aligned with the overarching directions and six pillars of the 2021-2025 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan. Underpinned by the Common Country Assessment (CCA), the UN’s independent analysis of development opportunities and challenges in Lao PDR, and a thorough evaluation of the previous Partnership Framework, the UNSDCF also mainstreams UN guiding principles for development cooperation seeking to Leave No One Behind, through the application of a Human-Rights Based Approach, addressing Women Empowerment and Gender Equality, Resilience, Sustainability, and Accountability. The UNSDCF represents the contributions to sustainable development of twenty-five Agencies, Funds, and Programmes of the UN Development System[1]. The Framework will be implemented through four transformational strategic priorities: People’s Wellbeing, Inclusive Prosperity, Governance and the Rule of Law, and Environment, Climate Change and Resilience. Corresponding outcomes anticipate that, by 2026, people, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised, … … will have more equitable and inclusive access to and will benefit from better quality health, nutrition, food, shelter, protection, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and education and learning, including during emergencies. … will benefit from more inclusive, resilient, transformative, and sustainable socio-economic and demographic opportunities to reduce poverty and inequalities. …are better served by public institutions at all levels in a transparent and inclusive manner, able to exercise their rights and obligations and the institutions shall be strengthened and more accountable while the rule of law and international human rights commitments made by Lao PDR are upheld. … and institutions will be better able to sustainably access, manage, preserve, and benefit from natural resources and promote green growth that is risk-informed, disaster and climate-resilient. To realise these ambitions, the UN country team will work collaboratively across twenty-one joint outputs, bringing together Agencies, Funds, and Programmes with specific expertise to help national counterparts advance development progress and tackle Lao PDR’s development challenges. In UNICEF’s capacity as co-chair of the results group on People’s Wellbeing, Representative Dr. Pia Rebello Britto noted that “The UN team will be working towards ensuring quality services for all, especially the most vulnerable groups, including children, in an equitable and inclusive manner. Our goal is to achieve the wellbeing of the entire Lao PDR population, leaving no one behind”. Representing the Inclusive Prosperity results group, ILO National Coordinator Ms. Khemphone Phaokhamkeo added “under the new Cooperation Framework, the UN will be working more effectively with the government, private sector and workers’ representatives to support the shift to a more inclusive economic model- addressing the impacts of the pandemic and building forward better”. The UN is a longstanding partner of the Government and people of Lao PDR with WHO as its first entity to establish in-country offices in 1962, and with many more in the years that followed. With an estimated USD 500 million of development investments across the next five years, the UN will work with partners to seize development opportunities and tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time, including COVID-19 recovery, the triple planetary crisis of climate change, loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation, securing a sustainable LDC Graduation, and necessary investments in social sectors for an inclusive, prosperous, and equitable future for all and that leaves no one behind. On this occasion, H.E. Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his appreciation to the continued cooperation and support by the UN to the Lao PDR for the past years, which significantly contributed to the economic-social development in the Lao PDR, and hoped that the UN would continue to provide support and assistance in the future, in particular, in the areas of response to the outbreak and the Covid-19 recovery efforts, climate change, sustainable development, support the Lao PDR to graduate from the LDC status as well as other relevant development areas. [1] Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the UN Secretariat (DESA); the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO); International Labour Organisation (ILO); International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); International Organisation for Migration (IOM); International Trade Centre (ITC); Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR); Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS); UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF); United Nations Commission On International Trade Law (UNCITRAL); UN Convention on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); UN Development Programme (UNDP); UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR); UN Environment Programme (UNEP); UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO); UN Population Fund (UNFPA); UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat); UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); UN Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF); UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO); UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS); UN Volunteers (UNV); World Food Programme (WFP); World Health Organisation (WHO) under the overall lead and coordination of the UN Resident Coordinators Office (UN RCO)

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13 May 2021

Ensuring vulnerable populations have access to essential healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic

Supported by the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund, the technical assistance led by UNFPA and UNAIDS, and UNICEF in maintaining essential health services during COVID-19 crisis has been a crucial element to the Lao PDR response. One key element has been the pilot aimed at introducing tele-health capabilities at the sub-national level, enabling all people flexible and responsive healthcare even in times of isolation or where remote access limits direct face to face services. The pilot was designed to enable pregnant and lactating mothers to safely access health services and information, whilst also ensuring that people living with HIV could gain access to lifesaving medication and healthcare information. Ms. Khekko Saysanadeth, Head of Phakeng Health Center, Phoukhoun district, Luang Prabang province shared that “We gained new knowledge through trainings and received the necessary equipment and supplies, such as hand sanitizer, sterilizing supplies and communication equipment including loudspeakers and mobile phones to follow up on maternal and child health. After the training, we practice social distancing and set up the screening point and hand wash sinks in our center. We continue to maintain infection prevention and control and encourage visitors to wash their hands.” The technology now exists in Lao PDR for all sectors to consider how they can best deliver services to communities. This innovative approach is part of the programme to maintain essential reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services. The pilot provided some positive results and the health providers consider the tele-health capabilities as an effective and efficient way to provide care, especially in Phonthong district where access is often difficult, also without the COVID-19 pandemic. It is very useful for patients to get immediate assistance or a referral as needed and for health care providers to develop knowledge and skills with regard to early detection of at-risk pregnancies and children with danger signs. To date, 1,762 pregnant women have received telehealth consultations for ante- and postnatal care and 35,988 women have received adapted essential reproductive services. Ms. Khekko Saysanadeth added: “We make video calls and regular calls to mothers after birth and to pregnant women so they can ask questions and check in with the clinic staff, even when it is impossible to travel. If we cannot contact them, we make a call to village authorities to make an appointment to follow up on their pregnancy progress or breastfeeding after birth. The telehealth is an effective way to maintain contact with mothers and children to ensure their safety.” The tele-health consultation for antenatal and postnatal care Whilst the telehealth service is highly appreciated by both health care providers and their patients, some barriers remain including the limited telecommunication networks in remote areas and language barriers when working closely with ethnic groups like Hmong or Khmu. Hence, where internet is not available, care can still be provided over landlines and through village health volunteers or husbands to translate where there is a language problem. To further test telehealth services, the pilot has been integrated into the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Plan of Action 2021 to enable another five provincial areas, including Savannakhet, Bolikhamxai, Bokeo, Champasack and Oudomxai, to receive appropriate trainings and resources and commence implementation. The telehealth function has also been recommended to continue as part of the routine health services beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during seasonal flooding when women might become isolated. For people living with HIV, access to care was improved through the support of two Civil Society Organizations. Approximately 1,000 people living with HIV in Lao PDR were supported to receive their regular antiretroviral medication (ARVs) via three dispensing modalities to reduce the crowding at clinics and ensure those in remote locations could still access medication during provincial border closures, including fast track, individual and group modalities. People living with HIV could receive their medication in group distributions, utilizing local networks or by working with providers to ensure fast-tracked and early orders could be delivered ahead of any COVID-19 outbreak. A community guideline to provide telehealth services for people living with HIV in 11 ARV therapy sites was also developed. Approximately 50 participants including people living with HIV peers, nurses and doctors working in the treatment sites received the training on the guideline to provide remote support on ARV medication uptake and adherence, care and psychosocial support during the pandemic. The participants were trained on the techniques for provision of telehealth services, including providing updated messages on the COVID-19 situation and latest healthcare information for targeted groups. Ms. Daovone Outhaivong, a volunteer from Luang Prabang province, shared that “Before the pandemic, all patients came to get the antiretroviral medication themselves. But during the lockdown, this was not possible with the border closures. We have around 30 patients who were mainly from disadvantaged and low-income groups and live far away from Luang Prabang town. So to make sure they all received their medication, we delivered the medication to them using motorbikes and local couriers. After the lockdown, we continue to provide information and knowledge to prevent COVID-19 transmission. We also received a training on how to provide tele-health services to targeted groups and I found it very useful”. “The project took a sustainable approach, building ownership and fostering innovation. Local actors were supported to plan actions based on global good practice. National capacities built under this project maintained and increased in some cases essential health services such as ante- and postnatal care, despite the COVID-19 crisis. Based on the findings, the practices will progressively be scaled up to expand healthcare services to the most vulnerable populations throughout the country.” said Ms Mariam A. Khan, UNFPA Representative.

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30 April 2021

Leave No One Behind - Establishing the Basis for Social Protection Floors in Lao PDR

Over the past decade, Lao PDR has seen high economic growth and poverty reduction. And yet, a fifth of the population continues to live around or below the national poverty line. Maternal and child mortality are high compared to other countries in Southeast Asia. Malnutrition and stunting affect many children. A fifth of all students do not complete school, due to financial barriers. The country is in the beginning stages of developing its social protection system, and as such current coverage is low, at just 15% of the working-age population. To tackle these problems, in April 2020, the Government adopted its first National Social Protection Strategy for 2021-2025. The Strategy is built around three main pillars: improving social health insurance, extending social security and establishing the groundwork for social assistance programmes. To support the Government in the implementation of the Strategy, the UN Joint Programme on Social Protection was established under joint operation of ILO, UNICEF and UNCDF. The Programme has two integrated components: institutional development support to the Government of Lao PDR and design and pilot of the Mother and Early Childhood Grant to demonstrate the benefits of social protection The interventions proposed have multiplying effects in several SDGs, expecting to directly impact on poverty reduction, nutritional gains, reduction of socio-economic inequalities, improvement of gender equality markers, and overall system sustainability. “We do believe that to deliver the results that are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and truly “leave no one behind”, we have to go at scale. And the only way to go at scale is to work with national structures and to build-up a national programme,” shared Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator for Lao PDR. Funding the pilot test of the Strategy in two of the poorest districts in Lao PDR, Mr. Jean-Bernard Carrasco, Ambassador of Australia to Lao PDR for 2018-2021, said on behalf of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): “We are providing funding so that we can test the social protection pilot in the south of the country. And our hope is that what has been tested is something that the Lao Government will be able to, with others support, roll-out nationally particularly to help women and young children to be able to benefit the most and particularly poor children and poor women.” “This will be an early and important step to benefit people, especially women and children who have health and nutrition problems. The best practices learned from this programme will be a model for scaling up to broader areas of the country,” said Dr. Yangkou Yangluexay, Director General, Department of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. The UN Joint Programme on Social Protection supports the Government of Lao PDR to plan, prepare, implement and monitor the National Social Protection Strategy 2025. It aims to generate evidence to show that social protection is feasible and impactful even in low-income countries and in this way, to secure greater domestic investment in social protection. This Programme allows UN agencies to pool their expertise and reduce overlaps in their support to the Government of Lao PDR. It will accelerate progress towards SDG1 (No Poverty), SDG2 (Zero Hunger), SDG16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The Programme is financed by the Joint SDG Fund and DFAT Australia. The story was created by UN Joint Programme on Social Protection and UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR.

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08 August 2022

Taking a step towards a more diverse and inclusive society

UNV works with partners to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Lao PDR Development Strategy. To do so, the organization recruits diverse talents and offers a variety of volunteer opportunities. Bounchanh Oudom, a national UN Volunteer Disability Inclusion Support Officer, serves with the UNDP Governance Team. Her role is to empower national organizations of persons with disabilities to participate in decision-making that affects the lives of persons with disabilities. Bounchanh joined UNDP under the UNDP-UNV Talent Programme for Young Professionals with Disabilities to gain new knowledge and skills in mainstreaming disability into development, learn about UN, and work more closely with the Government. She brings 12 years of experience in the area of disability-inclusive development to her assignment. As a person with disabilities, I became a UN Volunteer to share my life experiences and to collaborate with UNDP to design better projects and activities on disability inclusion and equality to leave no one behind. --Bounchanh Oudom, national UN Volunteer Disability Inclusion Support Officer Bounchanh enjoys her work, and is happy to see that her efforts have contributed to help improve relevant organizations for persons with disabilities. She was excited to work with other UNDP units in putting the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) principle of 'nothing about us without us' into practice across various UNDP programme on poverty reduction, climate and environmental protection. Bounchanh's assignment with UNDP allows her to promote disability inclusion and participation at all levels, across all the sectors and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "Volunteering is about learning, acting, and inspiring others," Bounchanh says. She is committing all her time for new knowledge and skills as a UN Volunteer to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable Lao PDR. Ricarda Rieger, Resident Representative of UNDP Lao PDR, shared how Bounchanh’s position helps to highlight both UNDP’s commitment to supporting persons with disabilities, and building a supportive learning environment for staff: "We see Bounchanh has having two important objectives in her role as Disability Inclusion Support Officer. Firstly, to contribute to the work of the disability team, which she has been able to do drawing on her own lived experiences, and through working with many organizations of persons with disabilities in Lao PDR. And secondly, to benefit from working with UNDP by gaining new skills and experiences." We acknowledge that no matter who you are, young or old, disability or no disability, life-long learning is for everyone. At UNDP, we want to create an environment where our team members have the opportunity to both contribute and learn, and the UNDP-UNV Talent Programme for Young Professionals with Disabilities helps us to achieve this goal. --Ricarda Rieger, Resident Representative of UNDP Lao PDR Bounchanh also left a message of encouragement to young persons with disabilities in Lao PDR: Having a disability does not make you disabled. People around me used to tell me that I could never achieve anything, I kept working hard to prove that I could do something useful for my community.  I believe that volunteering connects people, and it provides opportunities for people from various backgrounds and conditions to make use of their talents. When people from all social classes can volunteer for a common future, a diverse but peaceful society is not hard to reach. I call other persons with disabilities to act and join forces to make a difference! --Bounchanh Oudom

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30 May 2022

From opium to organic coffee: the new hope for Houaphanh farmers

The north-eastern province of Lao PDR, Houaphanh, is located in one of the major opium producing regions in the world. For decades, the residents in the region’s remote villages have relied heavily on opium poppy cultivation. The cultivation of opium is driven by poverty, marginalization, and lack of alternative sources of income, and opium growing communities are looking for new and sustainable income opportunities. Spearheading this shift is the Vanmai community, who started a transition to coffee in 2016 supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Tee Yangbliakeng works with the community in Houaphanh Province. He is the manager of the Vanmai Coffee Cooperative, supported by UNODC. The cooperative helps the residents of Houaphanh Province end the circle of poverty and opium addiction, while improving the quality of their lives. So far, the project has empowered almost 400 local farmers to independently process and commercialize their coffee for premium international markets. “Through the work of nearly 400 families from 12 villages, we exported over 19 tons of coffee to France in 2021,” says Tee Yangbliakeng. According to the International Coffee Organization (ICO), coffee as a high-value crop has export potential at both regional and global levels. ICO estimates show that coffee demand will exceed production, with a rising demand for high-quality coffee. Organic coffee is sold at a premium price, due to its distinct flavour and origin, socio-economic factors, as well as sustainable and environmentally friendly production. The market of organic coffee reached $6.8 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $12.6 billion by 2026. Nonetheless, introducing and executing organic concepts to the farmers in Houaphanh Province has its challenges. “I understand the basics of organic farming, for example not using chemicals. But it is harder to obtain a deeper and more technical knowledge, which involves growing environment, land, air and water as well as using only organic fertilizers like manure or compost,” says the Cooperative manager. In addition, local farmers in the cooperative face inevitable natural challenges, such as coffee pests, and climate change which affects the coffee cultivation and thus, exporting capacity. In 2021 and 2022, Yangbliakeng participated in trainings offered by the International Trade Centre under the ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the EU – Lao PDR (ARISE Plus) project as part of the country’s Coffee Export Roadmap. The trainings provided valuable lessons related to organic production, processing, marketing and organic certification. “Besides learning from experts about relevant theories, the course provided me with opportunities to learn and exchange knowledge with experienced farmers and coffee producers from different parts of the country, such as the Bolaven Plateau,” says Yangbliakeng. “The series of organic coffee training is one of the solutions offered by the Coffee Export Roadmap. It is implemented under the component of the ARISE Plus Lao PDR and endorsed by the Lao Government to help Lao farmers and small businesses increase their chances to participate in the global, sustainable coffee market”, says Khankeo Moonvong, ARISE Plus Lao PDR Project Coordinator of the International Trade Centre. “Vanmai is becoming a real development model for other similar communities and showing that there is a way out of poverty and away from opium cultivation. The cooperative recently received a licence to trade in Fair Trade products, and organic certification is an important next step in the strategy”, says Erlend Falch, Programme Manager and Officer in Charge, UNODC in Lao PDR. Yangbliakeng’s hope for his local community is to put an end to growing opium and to ultimately escape the cycle of poverty. He believes that one day, more members of Vanmai Cooperatives Coffee will be able to apply for organic certification and reach more premium markets which help increase their income. About Vanmai
Vanmai Coffee Cooperative was established in 2019, by farmers from opium growing communities in Huapamh province in Lao PDR. Since 2016, these farmers have been supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in their shift from opium cultivation to coffee with funding from the Governments of Luxembourg, the United States, Germany and Japan. The Vanmai Cooperative consists of 386 families and has five permanent staff. About Arise Plus Lao PDR
The ASEAN Regional Integration Support – Lao PDR Trade-Related Assistance project (ARISE Plus Lao PDR) is funded by the European Union (EU). It aims to contribute to inclusive economic growth, increased climate change resilience, mitigation of vulnerability and job creation in Lao PDR. About ITC
The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. About UNODC
The mission of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is to contribute to global peace and security, human rights and development by making the world safer from drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism. Through its Alternative Development programming, UNODC aims to promote sustainable development in poor and marginalized communities that grow illicit crops.

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21 March 2022

“More to coffee than one would have thought”

Huapanh, Lao PDR (March, 2022) – Resident Coordinator to Lao PDR, Ms Sara Sekkenes, conducted a field visit to coffee growing communities supported by UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Huapanh province. The project centres around the Vanmai Coffee Cooperative, which consists of 383 farmer families, who joined forces to better represent their interests and grow coffee sustainably. While appreciating the stunning mountainous landscape of Huapanh, the Resident Coordinator and her team learned that there is much more to coffee and UNODC’s project than one would assume at first sight. Fighting against the opium production. On Monday morning, the Resident Coordinator set out with UNODC’s team to visit a farming village of the Vanmai Coffee Cooperative, about an hour ‘s drive from the picturesque provincial capital of Sam Neua. UNODC’s project manager, Mr. Erlend Audunson Falch, explained that local farmers have been growing opium for generations in this region. One of the project objectives and the cooperative’s key aim is to grow coffee as an alternative cash-crop. The planting, harvesting and local processing of coffee should provide the farmers with a stable and fair income. Detailing the income he earned last year, proud farmer Mr. Xaiphone explained that together, the members of the Vanmai Coffee Cooperative have already planted around 400 hectares of coffee and exported nearly 20 tons of coffee beans in 2021 to the French coffee company Malongo. Supporting local talents and providing quality jobs. At the coffee plantation, the Resident Coordinator and her team were introduced to UNODC agronomist, Ms. Somephone Sinxaypunya, who skilfully guides the farmers on cultivating and harvesting practices, processing requirements and the best storage conditions for the coffee beans to render the highest quality coffee and the possibilities to qualify for Fair Trade marketing. Graduating in 2016, Ms Somephone studied agronomy at the National University of Laos in Vientiane and has been supporting the project since she left university. Informed by her technical and professional guidance, the team of village workers, after cleaning, weighing and registering each farmers plot contribution, filter the harvest through the many quality criteria outlined, including studying the colour, size, and density of each individual bean to ensure that the quality of the coffee meets the high standards of the European export market. Reaching its fifth year of growth, with the maturing of the plantation, and the primary and secondary processing, the coffee harvest in 2021/22 is set to yield more than 40 tons of green beans for export, a doubling of the amount exported in 2020/21. This directly results in higher incomes for the farmer families and the possibility for further investments into the cooperative. As of now, the Vanmai Coffee Cooperative consists of 383 families from 12 villages in four different districts in the north-eastern-most province of Huapanh and employs 5 staff and is looking for further talents in Lao PDR. Preserving natural resources and the environment. Continuing the journey, the UN team learned that nature friendly production is a core objective of the cooperative. The farmers receive guidance on organic pest treatment and fertilizer production, and is transitioning into fully organic production. The cooperative has its very own environmental protection officer whose work is to continuously improve the environmental footprint of the organisation across the value chain. Amongst other, village compost and coffee bean pulp form the basis for Vanmai’s own biological fertiliser production, which is used to boost the growth of the coffee bushes; other productive crops, including shade trees and citrus shrubs native to the area are planted interspersed among the coffee bringing additional nutrients to the soil and the farmers ensure that no chemicals and pesticide residue enters back into the water table. The cooperative is currently also exploring opportunities to receive an organic production certification that will further position its produce on the bourgoning European coffee gourmet market. Strengthening solidarity and empowering women. After learning more about the many facets of coffee cultivation in the field, the group travelled back to Sam Neua to meet the management of the Vanmai Coffee Cooperative at its local office. The manager, Mr Tee Yang, elaborated the cooperative’s growth since the start-up in 2019 and its plans for further expansion. An important element of the project is to strengthen the local community’s cohesion and encouraging knowledge sharing. Today, the 383 families make up the core of the cooperative but during our visit, discussions were held with the local authorities of expanding the plantations with an additional 400 hectares which would benefit an additional 400 families in other remote villages. Additionally, Vanmai wants to strengthen women’s representation. It has recently established a women’s network with 12 elected members. The network’s aim is to support female leaders through in-depth trainings on commercial coffee cultivation and sale. At the end of the presentation, the group was offered a cup of Vanmai’s own coffee and was convince about the quality of the beans and further prospects of the cooperative. A short trip up the hill, the visitors were also showed the location for a new larger office, processing and storage facility which would also cater a showroom and café. Working closely with the local Government. After a good night’s rest – despite the coffee tasting the previous day – Ms Sara Sekkenes and the UNODC team met with the Governor of Huapanh, H.E. Mr. Vanhxay Pheangsumma. The Governor emphasised that as reflected in the National Agenda, drug prevention is a priority of the Government of Lao PDR. Under the Governors leadership, the province has provided generous support for the project since the beginning and recently decided to allocate additional land to the Vanmai Coffee Cooperative where they can construct their own office and processing facility, with support by the project. This will enable the cooperative to independently and sustainably control the full value chain until the coffee is exported. Sustainability and local ownership. The UNODC supported project duration was recently extended until December 2023 based on available funding, with the aim to continue supporting local efforts until at least 2025. In the long term, the Vanmai Coffee Cooperative is envisioned to operate on its own. The signing of a long-term commercial partnership agreement with the renowned French coffee roaster Malongo, last April marks an important step towards financial autonomy. Further thoughts are also being introduced with regards to the longer-term sustainability against the backdrop of climate change and workshops on climate action, mitigation and adaptation efforts are also being discussed to secure the beautiful slopes of expanding coffee plantations across the province. Until this can be achieved, the motivated team from UNODC continues its invaluable engagement for the cooperative. The Resident Coordinator and her team returned to Vientiane with many new impressions about the project and its many facets including drug prevention as the original rational underpinning the alternative community development initiative, the local economy and job market, trade and value chains, environmental aspects and women’s empowerment set in the midst of the larger community cooperative, built on values of solidarity and social cohesion, and employing numerous of diverse skills sets including accounting, human resources, marketing, management, transport and logistics, to name just a few. The dedication of UNODC’s team, the employees of Vanmai as well as the farmer families was truly inspiring and can serve as an example for many other initiatives in Lao PDR.

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13 December 2021

Safe disposal of medical waste - throwing away isn’t enough

With the widespread impact of the pandemic, proper waste disposal becomes critical. At the central level, in field hospitals, and quarantine facilities- all are faced with a high amount of infectious waste increase during the pandemic. Numbers of sports complexes, stadiums, schools, and dormitories were repurposed into isolation and quarantine facilities to accommodate more and more people. General and infectious wastes are being generated from these facilities, hence, the capacity to manage wastes has to be enhanced. Dr. Bouakham Tounnalom, Deputy Director of Hygiene Management Division, Ministry of Health has been working to support sanitation, water and waste management for almost 3 decades. Her main areas of responsibility include environmental cleaning, water, sanitation & hygiene, health care waste management and health impact assessment, as a result of being surrounded by heavy construction such as mining, and the health of factory workers across the provinces. Dr. Bouakham, with her accumulated years of experience, has provided training and workshops on wastewater sanitation and general waste management throughout the country. Although Dr. Bouakham went through general medical studies and has never formally received specialized training in this field, she was assigned to support the unit once she joined the Ministry. In addition to learning on the job, she received training both locally and internationally to enhance her skills for this job. Dr. Bouakham reflected, “waste collection, treatment, transport and disposal systems have limited capacity. Waste collection companies have to ensure proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), preventive measures and need to increase their frequency of picking up waste every week. Protocols and contracts have been signed to ensure safety measures are put into place for such services.” She adds that both solid and liquid wastes require immediate safe treatment and disposal in some quarantine and isolation facilities. “We can’t just let the wastewater flow out into the environment without a proper treatment system,” said Dr. Bouakham. With solid waste, WHO has provided technical support in developing guidance, training materials, and autoclaves to disinfect/treat infectious waste before further disposal. The maximum loading capacity is an average of 50-85 kilograms. Normally, the autoclave can load one- or two times, but during COVID-19 response, with the increase of waste amount, the autoclave now needs to operate two to three times per day. Not only has the volume of wastes increased but also the types of waste, particularly single-use items. For hygiene reasons, most facilities use single-use foam containers for meals that were delivered to patients or individuals. These single-use products, including plastic water bottles, are snowballing during the pandemic and there are many challenges to safely dispose these items without causing environmental pollution and human health impacts. These issues are only a small portion of what the government and its development partners are dealing with in order to respond to the rising medical waste demands. As part of the Learning from Experience to Improve Responding to COVID-19 in Asia and the Pacific Region project funded by the People’s Republic of China, UNDP will provide technical support for Laos to upgrade the medical waste treatment system in the receiving hospitals, provide technical support for medical personnel, grass-roots civil servants and other key posts to enhance their capabilities. As the largest developing country, the People’s Republic of China is a firm supporter, active participant, and important contributor to South-South Cooperation. UNDP appreciates being a partner to both the People’s Republic of China and Lao PDR to support improved medical waste management. The above-mentioned project has received support from the South-South Cooperation Assistance Funds (SSCAF), to strengthen the preparedness and responding capacity at the Asia-Pacific regional level. UNDP will collaborate with WHO in Lao PDR, MoH and MICT and several Chinese counterparts to provide advocacy, information sharing and communication support on protection against COVID-19 and its response for people in poverty and vulnerable groups - to ensure that they are not left behind and can equally benefit from the interventions to stay safe and healthy.

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Press Release

12 July 2022

Lao PDR to bolster sustainable trade, diversify value chains

Participants recognized the project’s effectiveness and its potential for policy and financial sustainability. Therefore, the project was granted a full-year no-cost extension and will continue until December 2023. The Arise Plus Lao PDR project aims to contribute to the recovery of the Lao economy by supporting capacity building of trade officials, enabling the public sector to develop and implement key policy instruments, while equipping the private sector with skills to produce high-value added, export-oriented products. The meeting brought together over 40 national stakeholders, project partners and funders who reviewed the project’s progress for the first half of 2022 and looked at the priorities for the rest of the year. Between January and June 2022, the project has supported the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) National Enquiry Point to develop its standard operating procedures, trained inspectors of the Food and Drugs Department to improve hygiene and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards, 16 quality champions completed 12 workshops under the “Quality Champions Programme” and started coaching eight companies and small businesses in quality standards, coached and trained wood-processing companies and trained entrepreneurs and the Specialty Coffee Association in coffee organic farming, and sensory and cupping skills. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, H.E. Manothong Vongxay, the Ambassador of the European Union to Lao PDR, H.E. Ina Marčiulionytė and the International Trade Centre’s Chief for Asia and the Pacific, Xuejun Jiang. H.E. Manothong Vongxay, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce said: “We strongly believe that full and effective implementation of the technical assistance of ARISE Plus Project could contribute to accelerating economic recovery by addressing trade disruptions, improving overall trade and investment environment as well as strengthening supply chains of targeted sectors to make them more resilient to other shocks in the future.” H.E. Ina Marčiulionytė, Ambassador of the European Union to Lao PDR added: “The EU is very pleased with ARISE+ concrete outputs for the coffee and wood sector that fully contribute to objectives of Team Europe Strategy for 2021-2025 and our vision of a win-win partnership with Lao PDR. The project is playing a crucial role to support Lao PDR to benefit better from regional integration and trade agreements, such as the ASEAN, the RCEP, the EBA.” About ITC - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations and is a member of the UN country team of Lao PDR working under the overall Lao-PDR UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026. With partners, such as the EU, ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. More information about the project can be found at: https://www.intracen.org/arise-plus-laos/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/ariseplus/ Media enquiries about ITC should be directed to Ms. Kay-amphone Singhalath
International Trade Centre
Communication Consultant
E: Ksinghalath@intracen.org
T: +856 20 7777 6597

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Press Release

22 June 2022

Joint Statement to the Press - UN Joint Programme “Leaving No One Behind: Establishing the basis for Social Protection Floors in Lao PDR”

Vientiane, 21 June 2022: After two and a half years of implementation, the Joint Programme on social protection implemented by ILO, UNCDF, and UNICEF under the leadership of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare held its official closing event. Under the “Leaving No One Behind: Establishing the basis for Social Protection Floors in Lao PDR” Joint Programme, the Government of Lao PDR and the UN system, supported by the Joint SDG Fund and the Government of Australia, have taken a meaningful step towards building a nationally owned and inclusive social protection system. Through an integrated approach, partners have explored innovative approaches to strengthen the national system and lay the foundations for its future expansion and development. Many of the systems, infrastructure and procedures were established for the very first time under the programme and could provide important learning on designing and scaling up social transfers for national authorities and partners in the country. This has supported the implementation of the National Social Protection Strategy, which sets out the vision that by 2030, the welfare of all Lao people will be safeguarded by a basic social protection floor. At the event, Madam Baykham Khattiya, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare noted, “The Government of Lao PDR acknowledges the importance of social protection and the UN Joint Programme, which has contributed to the government policy of building a society with solidarity, conciliation, democracy, prosperity and justice. The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, as the chair of the National Social Protection Commission and its Secretariat, will play a central role in coordinating and mainstreaming social protection into national socio-economic development as well as the sectoral development plans at central and local level. We will systematically monitor, evaluate and develop legal frameworks for the implementation of the National Social Protection Strategy, particularly the three pillars of health insurance, social security and social welfare.” As the Joint Programme draws to a close, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the country is now faced with another major economic crisis marked by rapidly increasing cost of living, including of food and fuel. Such crises affect the poorest and most vulnerable people the most, whose resilience is already weakened from the impact of the pandemic. However, it is also in times of crisis that social protection can play a critical role, by contributing to stabilizing the economy and ensuring social stability. When a particular set of conditions are met, cash in the hands of low- and middle-income households provided through state systems can ensure that they can continue to spend money on their basic needs, thereby also boosting aggregate demand and supporting economic growth. When well designed, implemented and financed, social protection can also act as a powerful social stabilizer and play a critical role in crisis response. Reflecting on the experience of implementing the Programme, the partners jointly emphasized the need to: Facilitate access to social protection with appropriate allocation of funds for social spending and recognize the specific vulnerabilities of the poor, children, elderly, people with disabilities, women, migrant workers, and other vulnerable groups. Strengthen multi sectoral collaboration, especially between the social welfare, health, education, finance, and rural development sectors. Strengthen synergy between governments, development partners, private sector, social partners, and civil society. Commit to close consultation with and meaningful participation of all stakeholders, including representatives of the informal economy. Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator to Lao PDR stated, “Going forward, the most effective and efficient response would be to increase the national commitment of domestic resources and to focus on expanding existing programmes or pilots with the view to building a shock-responsive and sustainable national social protection system”. Ms. Sekkenes reiterated that the United Nations stands ready to support the Government, social partners, civil society and national institutions in the common goal of implementing the Strategy and providing social protection to all people in Lao PDR, prioritizing the poorest and most vulnerable, and specially to support the National Social Protection Commission as the primary responsible body for coordinating and overseeing the National Social Protection Strategy. Through these efforts, the Government and United Nations hope to make progress towards the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Goals—especially Goal 1: No Poverty, and support a development path that truly leaves no one behind.

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Press Release

02 June 2022

Remarks to Stockholm +50 International Meeting

Excellencies,
Friends, Fifty years ago, the United Nations convened the landmark Conference on the Human Environment here in Stockholm. World leaders recognized that we have a collective responsibility to protect the environment so humanity can enjoy peace, prosperity and sustainable progress. And indeed, over that time humanity has progressed. But today global well-being is in jeopardy, in large part because we have not kept our promises on the environment. Yes, we have rescued the ozone layer – a remarkable example of multilateral cooperation that should inspire us as we go forward. But, as we have become more populous and prosperous, our environmental footprint has become unbearably heavy. Earth’s natural systems cannot keep up with our demands. We are consuming at the rate of 1.7 planets a year. If global consumption were at the level of the world’s richest countries, we would need more than three planet Earths. We face a triple planetary crisis. A climate emergency that is killing and displacing ever more people each year. Ecosystems degradation that are escalating the loss of biodiversity and compromising the well-being of more than 3 billion people. And a growing tide of pollution and waste that is costing some 9 million lives a year. We need to change course – now – and end our senseless and suicidal war against nature. We know what to do. And, increasingly, we have the tools to do it. But we still lack leadership and cooperation. So today, I appeal to leaders in all sectors: Lead us out of this mess. Excellencies and friends, The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement show the way. But we must act on these commitments. Otherwise, they are nothing but hot air. And hot air is killing us. So let me get concrete about new opportunities. Later this year, leaders will finalize a new global biodiversity framework to reverse nature loss by 2030. Work is ongoing to establish a treaty to tackle plastics pollution. And the United Nations Ocean Conference can galvanize efforts to save our oceans. But there is one thing that threatens all our progress. The climate crisis. Unless we act now, we will not have a livable planet. Excellencies, friends, Scientists recently reported that there is a [50:50] chance that we could temporarily breach the Paris Agreement limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius in the next five years. We cannot let that happen. We must cut greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 to reach net-zero by 2050. And developed nations must at least double support to developing countries so that they can adapt and build resilience to the climate disruption that is already happening. Today, I call on G20 governments to dismantle coal infrastructure, with a full phase-out by 2030 for OECD countries and 2040 for all others. And I call on all financial actors to abandon fossil fuel finance and invest in renewable energy. Renewable energy technologies should be seen as a global public good. The necessary raw materials should be available to all. We must scale up and diversify supply chains; Reform bureaucracies to provide clarity to investors; Fast track permits for renewable energy projects and accelerate grid modernization; Shift subsidies from fossil fuels to support vulnerable people and to advance renewables; And triple investments in renewables to at least $4 trillion dollars a year. On top of this we must rapidly and vastly improve energy efficiency. We must reduce deforestation and promote more forest cover by 2030. We must vastly intensify efforts to restore coastal ecosystems and at least 1 billion hectares of degraded land in the next decade. And we must also triple investments in nature-based solutions. If we do these things we can avert climate catastrophe, end a growing humanitarian and inequality crisis and promote inclusive and sustainable development. Excellencies,
Dear friends, Today, I urge countries to embrace the human right to a clean, healthy environment for all people, everywhere – especially poor communities; women and girls; indigenous peoples; young people and the generations to come. To rescue the global environment – and humanity’s future -- we must transform the accounting systems that reward pollution and waste. We must place true value on the environment and go beyond Gross Domestic Product as a measure of human progress and well-being. Let us not forget that when we destroy a forest, we are creating GDP. When we overfish, we are creating GDP. GDP is not a way to measure richness in the present situation in the world. Instead, we must shift to a circular and regenerative economy. That demands a strengthened, networked multilateralism based on trust and global cooperation – as envisaged in our UN report on Our Common Agenda. Every government, business and individual has a role to play. Throughout history, humanity has shown that we are capable of great things. But only when we work together. If we want to survive and thrive, let us protect and nurture our planet, that is our only home. Let us recommit – in words and deeds – to the spirit of responsibility enshrined in the 1972 Stockholm Declaration. Because there is Only One Planet Earth. Thank you

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Press Release

23 May 2022

The First Technical Meeting of the Joint Steering Committee of the Lao PDR – UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026

Following the adoption of the Lao PDR-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF 2022-2022) in 2021, the meeting aimed to provide an opportunity for the Government of the Lao PDR (GoL) - UN Joint Steering Committee (JSC) to discuss priorities and works plan for the inaugural year of 2022 under the four outcome areas of the UNSCDF 2022-2026, and also to wrap-up the final formalities of the 2017-2021 Partnership Framework (Annual Progress Report), which concluded in December 2021. On the occasion, H.E Mr. Thongphane Savanphet, stressed the important objective of the JSC in providing strategic oversight of the development and implementation of the development Cooperation Framework, with the aim to ensure strong co-ownership and alignment with national priorities as outlined in the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and guided by the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The JSC is tasked with ensuring that the development process, including planning, implementation and evaluation of join development efforts are built ib a consultative, coherent and inclusive manner, thus, the active participation and contribution of all partners are vital to translate the visions into action and yield effective and concrete outcomes that would bring benefits to our joint efforts and ultimately to our society. Moreover, H.E Deputy-Minister Thongphane strongly emphasized that ‘partnership, multilateral cooperation and solidarity are the key to our effort in building back better, particularly in this critical time where the global economic instability and the impact of climate change have further inflicted extensive collateral damage on many developing economies that were already struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and Lao PDR is no exception’. He stated that the Government of Lao PDR has always collaborated closely and engaged with all partners, and especially with the United Nations Country Team in responding to development challenges, and strongly believe that the United Nations will continue to be the most reliable development partner both in technical terms and sustainable resources in implementing the development priorities and the joint plan of activities, particularly in achieving the goals and objectives of the NSEDP, graduation from LDC status, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms. Sekkenes, stated that ‘Lao PDR – like many countries around the world – is still processing the socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, accelerating inflation, in particular surging food and energy prices, were already starting to impact people in Lao PDR and beyond. The Resident Coordinator argued that in this context we cannot afford to be static. Rather, we need to analyse these developments and change our policies, projects and programmes accordingly and to rise to meet these challenges ahead.’ The meeting included briefings and presentations from representatives of both line Ministries and UN agencies on the priorities for the four outcomes under the UNSDCF 2022-2026; on People’s Wellbeing; Inclusive Prosperity; Governance & Rule of Law; and Environment, Climate Change, & Resilience.

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Press Release

25 March 2022

Earth Hour 2022: Help save our future - Turn off the lights.

Earth Hour, initiated by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2007 in Australia, is a global grassroots movement uniting people to take action for commitments to combat global warming and climate change. The campaign aims to raise awareness and support simple efforts that can conserve energy and tackle climate change. Depending on natural resources to develop its human and socio-economy development in alignment with the sustainable and green growth direction, Laos also takes this opportunity to improve perception of public on environmental issues such as climate change, natural resource management, and energy conservation. Ms. Bounkham Vorachit, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, emphasized: “Earth Hour is considered a crucial activity showcasing great attention and efforts provided by human beings upon our planet. Government of the Lao PDR recognizes the importance of the environment reflected in its previous efforts for addressing global warming and climate change, together with the global community through the formulation of policies and strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emission, increasing forest coverage to absorb CO2, promoting creativity and innovation, using renewable and clean energy, as well as other activities that contribute to addressing the global warming and climate change, while protecting the environment and nature. I would like to take this opportunity to invite whole society to participate in the campaign by turning off lights at offices, organizations and houses for one hour, starting from 8:30pm-9:30pm on Saturday, 26 March 2022 to help protecting our world from the global warming and preserving it for the future generations.” Ms. Sara Sekkenes, United Nations Resident Coordinator to Lao PDR, noted “the Earth Hour campaign on 26 March is a simple action and a powerful reminder that to use resources wisely is to live in higher harmony with nature. The United Nations in Lao PDR has been working closely with the Government in support of its commitment during the Conference of the Parties (COP) 26 under UN Climate Change Conference, and therefore its commitment to the people of Lao PDR. Together with local institutions, these efforts will ensure Lao people, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised, can sustainably access, manage, preserve, and benefit from natural resources, and promote green growth that is risk-informed, and disaster and climate-resilient. Earth Hour is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of the environmental protection, particularly to remind ourselves of the importance of saving energy, and addressing climate change in order to protect our planet for future generations. This requires the sustained partnership and commitment of all stakeholders - from the whole of society – to help meet COP goals and help slow the impact of climate change. We hope you will help us keep this commitment by joining Earth Hour.” Mr. Loris Palentini, Country Director of WWF-Laos, stated: "The next decades are going to be more critical than ever; climate change is the biggest crisis the world is called to collectively face and address. Earth Hour is our opportunity to promote a better future and protect our planet. It is our opportunity to promote reversal of global trends and promote a positive change. It is our opportunity to highlight ways to stop global warming, biodiversity loss and turn to a nature net positive future. You have the power to do something and support our planet. We need to act now, all together. Turning our lights off for Earth Hour here in Laos is a simple, but important signal. It shows that Laos is joining the global fight to deliver a better world to the future generations”. For more information, please contact: Ms. Khaikeo Chanthavisouk, Deputy Director of Environment Promotion Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment | khaikeo5@gmail.com Lien Le Thi Huong | Communications Officer, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office to Lao PDR | lien.lethihuong@un.org Bounpone Sookmexay | Communications Officer, WWF | bounpone.sookmexay@wwf.org.la

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