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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03 October 2022

The LDC Graduating Cohort of 2026: Working across countries and UN agencies to support a smooth transition

In November 2021, Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and Nepal officially qualified to graduate out of the least developed countries category by 2026. This was an important development milestone for the three countries marked by reaching threshold criteria in per capita gross national income, human assets index, and economic and environmental vulnerability index for two consecutive three-year cycles. The three countries differ significantly in terms of their economies, geographies, and histories. Yet, they share the common prospect of graduating out of the LDC category in the aftermath of the greatest global pandemic in living memory, followed by the cascading effects and impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine, against the backdrop of the intensifying triple planetary crisis. Bangladesh is among the countries that extensively use the international support measures for LDCs to increase exports and produce pharmaceuticals for domestic and international markets. Given the dependence of exports on duty-free-quota-free market access, the Government and private sector of Bangladesh would like to prioritize advocacy and negotiations for continuation of the trade and intellectual property related support measures and preparing the country to access better trade deals. Nepal, on the other hand, has not been able to fully utilize available international support measures due to the supply side constraints, and so its losses in trade and erosion in concessional aid are expected to be low in the short to medium term. However, Nepal may experience constraints on diversifying exports due to high tariffs, loss of flexibility in the implementation of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) Agreement, limited flexibilities to promote infant industries and other. To offset these challenges, the Government of Nepal and the private sector prioritize international support to accelerate economic transformation, bring foreign direct investment, and access to development finance, particularly climate finance. For Lao PDR, the case is of relatively limited exports taking place under LDC-specific market access arrangements as most trade is covered by regional agreements, but LDC provisions are important for some key sectors and a growing demand for new export markets. Key challenges for Lao PDR in managing a smooth transition relate to securing sufficient development finance, in particular climate finance, and strengthening integrated planning to support economic transformation and sustainable long-term development. Rising inflation and emerging complexities around the price of food, energy, and finance over the course of 2022 have subsequently added to the difficulties and challenges for these three countries. In this context, the UN in the three countries is supporting respective governments in addressing country-specific needs associated with graduation within their Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks. A key imperative for LDC graduation is to ensure that the transition is smooth and sustainable in the face of shocks and a changing global context. For this, the three graduating countries are formulating nationally owned, time-bound, and action-oriented Smooth Transition Strategies. Relevant expertise, knowledge, and capacity to support the development, and later implementation, of these strategies sits across different parts of the UN development system- at national, regional, and global levels. This includes dedicated specialists in UNDESA—including with its secretarial support to the Committee for Development Policy (CDP), which advises the Economic and Social Council of the UN General Assembly on a wide range of issues relevant for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including the LDC graduation process, —OHRLLS, UNCTAD, and ESCAP, as well as in-country technical capacities in agencies such as ITC, ILO and UNDP and the overall in-country coordination of systemwide efforts supported by the strategic economic and development analysis and planning capacity of RCOs led by UN Resident Coordinators. The reform of the UN has created the opportunity to take a significant step forward in the efficiency with which this distributed capacity can be used to support government efforts. In particular, to facilitate the process and help land such support among in-country stakeholders, as Resident Coordinators of the three countries, thanks to new ways of working, we have been able to convene integrated cross-country support that is showing the potential to make a difference at this key moment for the three countries. This has included regular discussions across the RCOs of the three countries to coordinate approaches, share practice and facilitate peer learning, and support the three countries in leveraging a common voice, aligning their positions for international negotiations. Challenged by COVID-19, but nonetheless almost two years of effective background work, and a first virtual meeting among government representatives in 2021, this led to physically bringing the three governments together for a joint South-South Exchange. The three RCOs, with support from the UNDESA and in collaboration with the UN-OHRLLS and UNESCAP organized the conference on formulating smooth transition strategies in Bangkok in August 2022. Among the participants were Government officials who would lead and draft the transition strategies, and representatives from the private sector and civil society. Experts from UN Development System, multilateral organizations, representative from the Republic of Korea and Viet Nam, academia, and think-tanks also joined. The topics discussed ranged from challenges and priorities of each country to specific thematic issues common to all countries. These included issues like leaving no one behind, market access, intellectual property rights, export diversification, climate action, the criticality of investments into human capital, development finance, and domestic resource mobilization. This broad and inclusive participation and agenda showcased promising practice and possible pathways ahead, but also highlighted the many trade-offs that must be addressed to ensure a sustainable, irreversible, and quality LDC graduation. LDC graduation not only brings changes to the trade and finance landscape, but it also directly affects people – workers in the sectors most impacted, and unskilled workers across the board. Particularly affected are women in the informal sector and in factory jobs and, importantly, the prospects for future employment opportunities which underscores the criticality of investments into human capital looking ahead. It is, therefore, an imperative to ensure that LDC graduation is inclusive and that the smooth transition strategies incorporate the interests of all stakeholders, including workers and an outlook that stretches beyond the immediate concerns. To that end the South-South Exchange included discussions on leaving no one behind, inclusive institutions, environmental and labour standards, and human rights as key drivers for sustainable economic growth. Also on the agenda was climate change and the potential for climate action to be supported by concessional climate finance to drive sustainable development of these LDCs. Government representatives of all three countries actively engaged in these discussions. During final presentations, they committed to work on the issues on inclusive development, increased investment in human capital, labour and human rights, and environmental standards for an informed smooth transition strategy. The discussions unpacked some of the needs of the three countries for policy, capacity, and technical support, and they clarified areas where joint advocacy could be leveraged to create space for advanced engagement and broader development cooperation. The event also provided the opportunity for the private sector representatives of the three countries to engage directly with each other. There is also interest among the three governments to continue the peer exchange and learning through virtual discussions. Importantly, the work also serves to demonstrate what can be achieved with more coordinated and integrated support from across the UN system, also when capacities do not sit directly in-country. The preparations for a smooth LDC graduation cut across the mandates of many parts of government and of the UN development system, offering the potential to spur integrated and transformational ways of working, and to address some of the most pressing and challenging multidimensional development challenges facing countries today. The next steps in the process will involve each country identifying the needs for technical, financial and policy support in more granular detail, and mobilizing country-specific support through the UN and other development partners. The UN’s support to the three countries will require to be tailored to the needs identified in these ongoing discussions and be fully anchored within the respective UN Sustainable Development Frameworks. Our offices will carry on the collaboration across the three RCOs and with UNDESA at the technical level to facilitate exchange between the three Governments. We will continue to coordinate our advocacy and messaging both internally and in international fora. Delivering as One-UN can go beyond country teams and across borders and indeed, also coherently align UN efforts vertically from HQ through regional to country-based support in line with the ambitions of the UN development system reform.

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23 September 2022

ILO and UNICEF organise Social Protection Seminar and Field Visit for the National Assembly

Vientiane, September 16 – From 5-16 September 2022, newly appointed members of the National Assembly and Provincial People’s Assemblies of Lao PDR participated in seminars to strengthen capacities and broaden understanding of social protection policymaking and financing. The seminars were followed by a three-day field visit to the pilot programme, Mother and Early Childhood Grant, in Sanamxay and Phouvong districts, Attapeu province. The seminar encompassed concepts and principles related to design and financing of social protection, good practices and innovations from ASEAN and developing countries on expanding coverage, the policy and legislative framework in Lao PDR, the development of the Korean social protection system and its role in previous crises, as well as the design and implementation of the pilot Mother and Early Childhood Grant in southern Lao PDR. Madam Thoummaly Vongphachan, President of Social and Cultural Affairs Committee, National Assembly stated in her opening remarks, “This seminar is very important for the National Assembly and Provincial Assembly members from the Social and Cultural Affairs Committee and its Secretariat. It will help to strengthen the legislative, oversight, representational and monitoring capacities for the current five-year mandate. It will also contribute to our role in the development and amendment of laws in the labour and social welfare as well as health sectors, particularly the amendment of the Law on Social Security and Law on National Health Insurance and the development of the Law on Social Welfare during the upcoming Congress session in 2024.” “In times of crisis, when a particular set of conditions is met, cash in the hands of the poorest members of society provided through state systems can ensure that they continue to spend money on their basic needs, a measure that also supports local and national economies. Allocating domestic resources to social protection programmes, such as non-contributory cash transfers, can help to ensure that such programmes are sustainable, as opposed to a donor-focussed, project-based approach”, noted Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR. The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, ILO and UNICEF. It was co-funded by the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme “Supporting the Implementation of Sustainable Social Protection Floors for Workers and their Families in ASEAN — Phase III” and the Government of Australia through the UN Joint Programme “Leaving no one behind: Establishing the basis for social protection floors in Lao PDR”. Mr. Sunggil Son, Chief Technical Advisor of the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme who was a resource person at the seminar said, “This is a very meaningful opportunity for me. I hope that the discussions will further develop and strengthen the social protection system in Lao PDR. The ILO/Korea Partnership Programme 2021–2023 will continue to support Lao PDR in close collaboration with the tripartite constituents, the National Assembly and the Provincial People’s Assemblies in Lao PDR.” After the three seminars for the northern, central and southern regions, Members from the National Assembly and southern People’s Assemblies visited the pilot programme, Mother and Early Childhood Grant in Sanamxay and Phouvong districts. They were accompanied by a team from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, ILO, UNICEF and the Australian Embassy. They spoke to mothers who have benefitted, thus witnessing the real impact of social welfare. Ms. Anna Dyason, First Secretary, Education and Governance at the Embassy of Australia in Lao PDR declared, “The MECG promotes better outcomes in nutrition and livelihoods. Even with the challenges in project implementation, the impact of this programme is significant. Many women and children have received the payment and I thank all the government stakeholders on fulfilling these difficult tasks. I also wish to recommend that the government allocate more funding to child grants.” The field visit was welcomed by Mr. Bounseuth Sethirath, Vice Governor of Attapeu province who made an extensive report on the MECG implementation, stating, “From June 2021, the project has provided payments to 1,340 mothers in 46 villages of Sanamxay district and 15 villages of Phouvong district. Some mothers live far away and cannot leave their farms to collect the money in the rainy season. We will continue to monitor pending payments to them. Ultimately, this programme is very important to improve nutrition in rural areas and make people seek health services more.” For more information, please contact Ms. Loveleen De, Program Manager, ILO: del@ilo.org or Ms. Maryam Abdu, Chief of Social Policy, UNICEF: mabdu@unicef.org.

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19 September 2022

High-Level Consultation on the 9th NSEDP Financing Strategy

Vientiane, 16 September 2022 – A High-Level Consultation was convened on Friday with those that have been technically engaged to discuss the advanced draft of the Financing Strategy for the 9th NSEDP containing concrete policies and actions to ensure the sustainable financing of national development priorities. The half-day meeting which was chaired by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, H.E. Mme Phonevanh Outhavong, and UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Sara Sekkenes, was attended by about 50 representatives from government, including Deputy Ministers and leading departments of involved Ministries, notably the Ministry of Finance, Bank of Lao PDR, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and Ministry of Energy and Mines, as well as Heads of Mission of engaged development partners including Australia, Japan, EU, ADB, GGGI, IMF, JICA, World Bank, UNCDF, UNDESA, UNDP, UNEP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNODC, WHO, and the UNRCO. The meeting deliberated the MPI-led draft Financing Strategy, which is based on the Integrated National Financing Framework methodology endorsed at the 2015 Conference on Financing for Development with all Member States, which considers all public and private sources of finance, with a clear focus on resolving fiscal challenges and simultaneously improving the regulatory framework for quality and sustainable investments, and the result of a collaborative process of nearly two years of consultation workshop with a large group of stakeholders. The draft financing strategy was reviewed in detail during a two-day “writeshop” within government in early September and comprises 54 policies and actions and a dedicated matrix with assigned responsibilities for a rapid and smooth implementation from January 2023 to the end of 2025 when the 9th NSEDP comes to its end. Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, H.E. Mme Phonevanh Outhavong said the mission of this broadly consulted and comprehensive financing strategy is to ensure effectiveness in the financing of the national plan through actions that will help increase the volume of development finance and improve the alignment of available resources with the 9th NSEDP. Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator to Lao PDR, similarly mentioned that there is an imperative for strong guiding directions to mitigate the effects of the financial challenges Lao PDR faces, that can prioritise policies and targeted financial decisions that can bring the country back on its sustainable development trajectory. The consultation also discussed preparation for the High-Level Structured Dialogue, which will see the validation of the 9th NSEDP Financing Strategy, among a much broader and open-ended group of stakeholders, planned for the end of September 2022. This Financing Strategy is set to be endorsed by the end of this year by the government of Lao PDR, as an integral part of the national plan, and will guide the remaining implementation of the 9th NSEDP.

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02 September 2022

Establishing the foundations of a national social protection system

In a remote part of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, nestled between mountains, the school grounds of Khang Village in Sanamxay District have become a haven of excitement. Women arrive on foot or motorbike from nearby villages, many with newborn babies on their backs. The centre is the school canteen. Every two months, clerks from Unitel, a Lao telecommunication company come to the village to provide cash transfers to beneficiaries of the Mother and Early Childhood Grant (MECG) pilot programme. The pilot is led and implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare with support from the UN as part of the UN Joint Programme “Leaving No One Behind: Establishing the Basis for Social Protection Floors in Lao PDR”. “I am from a poor family,” explains 21-year-old Bounmy who has just delivered her second child. “I rent a small piece of land from other people and farm it. As payment, I receive only rice. But with this cash transfer, I can buy more and better food. I feel so happy when I hold the money.” In another province where the MECG pilot is being tested, Duangsengkhom, a local nurse says that more women have been visiting her health centre since the pilot started. It is one of the places where beneficiaries can register. “Nong District is very rural. Many women still give birth at home and only visit the health centre at the last moment, for emergencies. Due to this grant, they come for health checks more regularly and I can advise them to eat nutritious vegetables or take the recommended vaccines for their children.” “Over the past two and a half years, we have been working together with the Lao Government to build a strong, sustainable, and well-structured social protection system that would truly leave no one behind”, notes Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator to Lao PDR. “This is something that requires the combined efforts of all. That is why a wide range of stakeholders have been part of the Joint Programme, from national, provincial and district authorities to civil society, academia, and different parts of the UN Development System.” Under the leadership of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Joint Programme brought together the technical expertise of the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF, and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). Financial support was provided by the Joint SDG Fund and the Government of Australia. “It has not been a very easy task”, continued Sara Sekkenes. “Lao PDR is in the very preliminary stages of building its social protection system. This implied the need of setting up the coordination structures, purchasing equipment and putting infrastructure in place, training staff and volunteers, and perhaps most crucially, encouraging a shift in mindset from seeing social protection as an externally funded handout for the poor to an intrinsic element of a nationally funded and nationally-owned system that contributes to socio-economic development.” The Joint Programme has achieved some important milestones. In April 2020, the first-ever National Social Protection Strategy was adopted, building on previous work of the UN in Lao PDR. And in December 2021, a high-level National Social Protection Commission was set up with the primary responsibility to coordinate, oversee and monitor the implementation of the Strategy. The Joint Programme has supported the Lao Government and newly established Commission in two main ways: first, by building capacity and establishing the foundations of the system and second, by continually testing the system through the piloted MECG . The systems, infrastructure and procedures established as part of the Programme can provide important learning on designing and scaling up social transfers in future. About 70% of the Lao population live in rural areas and the vast majority, estimated at almost 90%, work in the informal sector. Now, in 2022, as the country is learning to live with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is faced by yet another major economic crisis marked by rapidly increasing cost of living, including food and fuel. Such crises affect the poor and vulnerable most, whose resilience was already weakened by the pandemic. In this context, it is essential to continue the technical and financial support to the Lao Government, so that it can continue the work of building the national social protection system and avoid losing the gains made over the past two and a half years. Recognising this, in 2024, the Government plans to amend the Social Security Law—with one of the objectives being increased coverage of the informal sector, and introduce a new Social Welfare Law—which can solidify the right to social protection for all, including the poor and vulnerable. “In the Lao context, it remains vital to align efforts and reduce duplication”, concludes Sara Sekkenes. “Only by working with and through national structures can the support lead to sustained impact at scale. The National Social Protection Strategy serves as a foundational framework to do this.” While the UN Joint Programme took a meaningful step towards building a nationally owned and inclusive social protection system, much more needs to be done to achieve the SDG target 1.3 aimed at providing basic social protection coverage to all Lao people.

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Story

01 September 2022

Lao PDR, Bangladesh and Nepal successfully conclude the South-South Exchange on Preparing Smooth Transition Strategies: Graduating cohort of 2021

Bangkok, 25 August 2022: From 23 to 25 August, more than ninety Government officials and representatives from private sector, academia, research institutes and civil society from Lao PDR, Bangladesh and Nepal met in Bangkok, Thailand, joined by the United Nations and external experts, to discuss and exchange views on challenges, opportunities, and preparations for graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status as the three countries recommended for graduation in 2021. Organised by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) through its Sustainable Graduation Support Facility in partnership with the Committee for Development Policy (CDP), the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), and Offices of the UN Resident Coordinator from the three countries, the South-South Exchange on Preparing Smooth Transition Strategies (STS) for LDC Graduation is part of the on-going support by the UN Development System to facilitate a smooth transition, sustainable and irreversible graduation. Addressing the Opening session, Ms. Rabab Fatima, Under Secretary General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States noted the importance of this enhanced support given the challenging context faced by all countries. She said, “The compounded impact of multiple crises – such as COVID-19, growing food and commodity prices and the climate emergency – put development progress in the Least Developed Countries at risk. We are coming together to provide a better coordinated United Nations support. Our aim is to lessen the burden on each government’s capacity and catalyse sustainable progress”. Underlining the importance of more effective support, Mr. Roland Mollerus, CDP Secretary and Chief Development Policy Branch, UNDESA highlighted the importance of this first country-led South-South exchange on preparing for smooth transition, bringing the three graduating countries together “thanks to the key coordination role of the three RCOs in collaboration with DESA, ESCAP and OHRLLS”. On the same note, Ms. Sara Sekkenes, the UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR emphasized that “the South-South Exchange is a truly collaborative effort that allows us to exchange views and capture the broad perspective offered from the delegations on graduation related challenges, options, and recommendations on how to overcome them in their respective country contexts” and added that: “I hope that the interactive deliberations at the Exchange can encourage and stimulate further discussion on the STS at country-level and I look forward to seeing the three Smooth transition Strategies published recognizing many of the elements discussed here today”. Mr. Daovy Vongxay, Head of the Lao delegation, Director-General of the Department of International Organisations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR said “Graduating from LDC has been an ambitious development goal of the Government of Lao PDR for more than two decades. The 2021 Triennial Review by the CDP was indeed an important milestone for the Lao PDR being recommended for graduation in 2026. The important next step is to safeguard these hard-gained achievements and continue this development momentum towards a smooth and sustainable graduation pathway ahead”. Leading the Lao Delegation Mr. Daovy highlighted the common need of Lao PDR, Bangladesh and Nepal for consistent and coherent support from the UN Development System and development partners in line with the recently adopted Doha Programme of Action. He said: “We should be mindful that graduation from LDC status is not an end goal, but an important milestone in the countries’ development trajectory. Continued and consistent support from the UN system and development partners must be ensured so that the graduating country do not slip back after graduation”. Over the course of three days, the Lao delegation, together with Bangladesh and Nepal, had a frank exchange of views and mutual learning on a broad range of topics in the LDC graduation context, including on trade, inclusive and human development and ensure climate action. The Exchange also offered opportunities for the three countries to hold in-depth discussions with the experts from the UN Development System, multilateral organisations, and peer countries from the region including the Republic of Korea and Vietnam --two countries that demonstrate successful development pathways, to better understand how to develop and what actions to promote in the STSs to ensure a sustainable and irreversible LDC graduation. Key takeaway and priorities for the STS The Exchange highlighted the need to formulate an inclusive, country-driven, country-tailored, focused STS that responds to national development needs and priorities. The ongoing impact of COVID-19 and the more recent global crisis on fuel, food, fertilisers and finance has underlined the importance of a practical, flexible, and adaptable STS that offers an inclusive platform to discuss and identify concrete steps to ensure greater policy coherence, also as the situation changes over time. Participants emphasised safeguarding investment in human capital as a precondition for the sustainability of graduation. Even amid severely constrained fiscal space, investment needs in social sectors, particularly in health and education, and the expansion of a resilient social protection scheme to ensure high-quality human resources as the labour force expands were considered a key driver for sustainable and inclusive economic growth. To that end, ongoing efforts to mobilise and align public and private finance for the implementation of national development priorities, were noted be all three countries. On trade-related issues, the importance of coordination across line ministries and enhancing the engagement of the private sector in the graduation process, was also underscored. Participants discussed approaches to mainstreaming climate action and environmental protection, including through disaster risk reduction, into the STS to ensure the flow of green, sustainable, and high-quality foreign direct investments. The Lao Government clearly flagged needs for more technical and financial assistance to facilitate access to climate financing to accelerate the transition to climate-resilient development. Drawing from the rich discussions on common challenges and opportunities through-out the Exchange, the Lao delegation suggested the three countries strengthen their collaborative advocacy efforts committing to using the momentum of graduation to lead policies and strategies for accelerated development progress and leaving no one behind.

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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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