Latest
Story
24 May 2023
Deputy Secretary-General's remarks to the 2023 ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment
Learn more
Story
10 May 2023
Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data: Addressing Economic and Social Challenges in Lao People's Democratic Republic
Learn more
Press Release
04 April 2023
UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety returns to Southeast Asia (5-19 April) to call for more investment in road safety
Learn more
Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals 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.
Publication
03 April 2023
UN Country Annual Results Report 2022
Under this framework, the 25 agencies, funds, and programmes that make up the UN country team (UNCT) have worked to support progress in four critical integrated priority areas: People’s
Wellbeing; Inclusive Prosperity; Governance and Rule of Law; and Environment, Climate Change, and Resilience.
This progress report summarizes highlights of 2022 achievements and lessons learned from this new way of working. It shows how we have worked in more integrated ways, seeking higher
policy and programmatic coherence in our response to the most pressing needs, taking important steps towards addressing complex challenges in a more transformational manner.
Wellbeing; Inclusive Prosperity; Governance and Rule of Law; and Environment, Climate Change, and Resilience.
This progress report summarizes highlights of 2022 achievements and lessons learned from this new way of working. It shows how we have worked in more integrated ways, seeking higher
policy and programmatic coherence in our response to the most pressing needs, taking important steps towards addressing complex challenges in a more transformational manner.
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Publication
02 November 2022
Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data: Bulletin 1 Vulnerable Groups
This information bulletin was jointly developed by the Macroeconomic Research Institute, LASES, and the UN in Lao PDR under the Joint Programme on “High Frequency Data” in response to the current food, energy, and financing crises. The bulletin spotlights Vulnerable Groups in the context of the financial and socio-economic challenges in Lao PDR and is the first bulletin in a series as part the Joint Programme. The second one will provide information on “Food Security and Livelihoods” and the third bulletin is on “Macroeconomic analysis of the country’s economy”.
More about the programme:
The Joint Programme was set up in the context of the rapidly depreciating value of the KIP and the rising prices for food, fuel and fertilisers which came on top of the already exacerbated financial and socio-economic vulnerabilities. The current shocks can affect a wide range of individuals in many areas ranging from employment status, education, food consumption to gender-based violence. To capture these recent manifestations and potential trends, the Joint Programme considers collected data from households and businesses across the country as well as macro-economic developments.
Until December 2022, the data collected and related analysis will be made available to interested stakeholders and distributed through three information bulletins and discussed during a multi-stakeholder workshop towards the end of the programme. The outcome of this workshop as well as the most significant findings of the three bulletins will be summarised in a final policy report. This Joint Programme is funded by the Joint SDG Fund’s Development Emergency Modality, which was set to give more than 100 UN country teams worldwide the opportunity to receive fast and flexible seed financing to support governments in understanding the current changes and needs to tackle the ongoing global food, energy, and financing crises.
1 of 5

Publication
23 December 2022
Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data: Bulletin 2 - Food Security and Livelihoods
This information bulletin was jointly developed by the Macroeconomic Research Institute, LASES, and the UN in Lao PDR under the Joint Programme on “High Frequency Data” in response to the current food, energy, and financing crises. The bulletin spotlights Vulnerable Groups in the context of the financial and socio-economic challenges in Lao PDR and is the second bulletin in a series as part the Joint Programme. The second one provides information on “Food Security and Livelihoods” and the third bulletin will be on “Macroeconomic analysis of the country’s economy”.
More about the programme:
The Joint Programme was set up in the context of the rapidly depreciating value of the KIP and the rising prices for food, fuel and fertilisers which came on top of the already exacerbated financial and socio-economic vulnerabilities. The current shocks can affect a wide range of individuals in many areas ranging from employment status, education, food consumption to gender-based violence. To capture these recent manifestations and potential trends, the Joint Programme considers collected data from households and businesses across the country as well as macro-economic developments.
Until December 2022, the data collected and related analysis will be made available to interested stakeholders and distributed through three information bulletins and discussed during a multi-stakeholder workshop towards the end of the programme. The outcome of this workshop as well as the most significant findings of the three bulletins will be summarised in a final policy report. This Joint Programme is funded by the Joint SDG Fund’s Development Emergency Modality, which was set to give more than 100 UN country teams worldwide the opportunity to receive fast and flexible seed financing to support governments in understanding the current changes and needs to tackle the ongoing global food, energy, and financing crises.
1 of 5

Publication
08 May 2023
Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data: Bulletin 3 - Macroeconomic Outlook of Lao PDR
This information bulletin was jointly developed by the Macroeconomic Research Institute, LASES, and the UN in Lao PDR under the Joint Programme on “High Frequency Data” in response to the current food, energy, and financing crises. The bulletin spotlights Vulnerable Groups in the context of the financial and socio-economic challenges in Lao PDR and is the second bulletin in a series as part the Joint Programme. The second one provides information on “Food Security and Livelihoods” and the third bulletin will be on “Macroeconomic analysis of the country’s economy”.
More about the programme:
The Joint Programme was set up in the context of the rapidly depreciating value of the KIP and the rising prices for food, fuel and fertilisers which came on top of the already exacerbated financial and socio-economic vulnerabilities. The current shocks can affect a wide range of individuals in many areas ranging from employment status, education, food consumption to gender-based violence. To capture these recent manifestations and potential trends, the Joint Programme considers collected data from households and businesses across the country as well as macro-economic developments.
Until December 2022, the data collected and related analysis will be made available to interested stakeholders and distributed through three information bulletins and discussed during a multi-stakeholder workshop towards the end of the programme. The outcome of this workshop as well as the most significant findings of the three bulletins will be summarised in a final policy report. This Joint Programme is funded by the Joint SDG Fund’s Development Emergency Modality, which was set to give more than 100 UN country teams worldwide the opportunity to receive fast and flexible seed financing to support governments in understanding the current changes and needs to tackle the ongoing global food, energy, and financing crises.
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Story
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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Story
24 May 2023
Deputy Secretary-General's remarks to the 2023 ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment
Vice-President of ECOSOC,
Excellencies,
Together, we have transformed the UN development system.
We are no longer in the start-up phase - our efforts are bearing fruit.
Our results are no longer measured in terms of reconfigured structures or mechanisms and frameworks to incentivize coordination and coherence, nor in revised tools or hiring of staff.
We are now working at full speed and our results are measured in impacts on the ground.
Our Resident Coordinator system has navigated cascading crises to rally UN country teams around effective responses to COVID19.
We have seen a shift in how we operate on the ground – this has been recognized by many of you earlier today in the session with the Secretary-General.
The new development coordination system we have established at the heart of the Secretariat, is critical to all of these results.
Resident Coordinators are fostering more coherent, accountable and effective UN support for countries.
They are leveraging their impartiality and new capacities to channel skillsets and expertise housed across the UN system.
They have access to goldmines of expertise – often hosted in smaller, highly specialized entities across the Atlantic – which are absolutely critical to the SDGs. This has allowed us to make inroads in our support in areas ranging from trade, to financing, to food system transformations, to disaster risk reduction.
Resident Coordinators are now our backbone to translate global commitments into effective action on the ground.
Before these reforms, this link simply did not exist and there was a gap between intergovernmental outcomes and action by UN Country Teams.
This is no longer the case.
Resident Coordinators are no longer simply ‘coordinators’.
They are increasingly leveraging their convening power – and their legitimacy as representatives of the Secretary-General – to support governments to mobilize partnerships, financing and other means of implementation for the SDGs.
Resident Coordinators are key to ensuring that the UN support in country is fully aligned and tailored to national priorities and needs.
Finally, Resident Coordinators are effectively “first responders” in emergencies. They ensure a development focus from Day 1 when a crisis hits; and facilitating a smooth transition from crises into long-term sustainable development and resilience.
Excellencies,
My report on the Development Coordination Office (DCO) presents innumerable examples of how Resident Coordinators and RC Offices have made a positive difference in countries.
Independent evaluations; surveys of host governments and donors; independent assessments commissioned by agencies such as UNFPA - all demonstrate overwhelmingly positive feedback on the impact of the changes implemented.
These results reaffirm the value and effectiveness of our investments in strengthening development coordination through the RC system.
It is a testament to what we, together, have achieved.
Today, I would like to highlight five key achievements outlined in the report that are essential to our efforts.
First, strengthened Resident Coordination leadership.
With the effective support of DCO, we have carefully matched RC profiles with country needs and requirements and ensured the deployment of the right person in the right place at the right time.
This is giving us strong leadership in the field, as well as unprecedented levels of geographical diversity and gender parity.
85 per cent of host governments noted that Resident Coordinators provided strengthened leadership compared to before the reform. And 90 per cent acknowledge that Resident Coordinators have the necessary profiles and skillsets.
87 per cent agree that Resident Coordinators serve as a strengthened entry point to the UN offer. This represents a 35 per cent increase since the beginning of the reforms in 2019.
Second, strengthened RC office capacities – strategic planning, economic analysis, partnerships, data analytics, and results reporting –have provided critical support to UN country teams.
92 per cent of host Governments agreed that the UN adequately provides evidence-based policy advice, compared to 88 per cent in 2021.
92 per cent also say that Resident Coordinators are contributing to the creation of effective partnerships in support of national efforts to advance the 2030 Agenda and achieve the SDGs. This is up from 85 per cent in 2020.
88 per cent confirmed Resident Coordinators effectively lead the delivery of strategic support for national plans and priorities
DCO regional support also enhanced the capacity of Resident Coordinators to fulfil their leadership and coordination roles – this is an important conclusion of a 2022 evaluation by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).
Third, the RC system is playing a crucial role in leading the emergence of a new generation of UN country teams.
The RC system has increased the ability of host governments to easily access UN expertise across relevant UN entities, regardless of location – fostering a more flexible, coherent, responsive and effective UN offer.
Cooperation Frameworks – while a work in progress – are already helping improve our response to national priorities. This is what we heard from 94 per cent of host governments.
91 per cent of Member States say UN country teams have the right mix of capacities to support national development efforts.
This was a central promise of these reforms.
Fourth, the report finds that the RC system has been instrumental in enhancing transparency and accountability of the UN development system’s activities.
All UN Country Teams now produce an annual UN country results report, a notable increase from 64 per cent in 2019.
The creation and improvement of new dashboards in UN INFO have enhanced transparency and saved approximately $2.4 million in services previously rendered by external vendors.
The revised multi-annual RC system results framework – the first of its kind – will allow us to track coordination results by specific objectives, outcomes and outputs.
We are grateful for the constructive and active engagement by Member States as we developed the Framework.
We will continue to review the framework to ensure it remains relevant and in line with every QCPR cycle.
Fifth, data confirms that the RC system has help drive efficiencies across entities of the system and generated substantial savings.
Close to 80 per cent of governments reported that the RC system helped minimize duplication of efforts while advancing the efficient use of resources.
Investments in specialized capacities to advance system-wide efficiencies through Business Operations Strategies, Common Back Offices and Common Premises are also paying off.
Taking into account all efforts, estimated efficiencies of around $405 million have been generated – an increase of 47 per cent from 2021.
We have come a long way to get to that point, as some of you will recall.
From establishing common methodologies to measure and track efficiencies; to achieving agreement across all entities of the UNSDG; to deploying innovative approaches at country level --- we have a strong foundation on which to build.
None of these results would have been possible without the leadership of my colleagues in the UNSDG and every single member of UN country teams around the world.
The UNSDG has paid its full share of the RC funding model – many in advance.
Entities have stepped up to adapt to the new working modalities of the repositioned UN development system.
I am grateful for their dedication.
Excellencies,
While celebrating these achievements, we must also address the pressing issue of funding.
The Secretary-General's message to ECOSOC earlier today was clear.
The RC system is chronically under-funded, despite all efforts by Member States, UN entities and the Secretary-General to implement the hybrid funding model mandated by the General Assembly.
At this point of the reforms, we urgently need to bridge the $85 million funding gap to ensure the continued delivery of results on the ground.
This gap has delayed critical investments in surge capacity – essential at a time of uncertainty and shocks, and resulted in cuts in investments in training, leadership and support at the regional and global levels.
It has also led to a significant reduction in the RC coordination fund – vital for convening country teams and external partners around countries’ priorities.
And every passing day brings further stress to our operations.
Existing posts – especially at country level – will have to be cut.
Our ability to follow up on expectations of Member States will diminish. And so will the impact of our reforms.
In the end, it comes down to this: without adequate and predictable funding, we will jeopardize hard-won gains in the reforms and our ability to support the countries to deliver on the SDGs.
This is why the Secretary-General is calling on Member States to reconsider his recommendation for a hybrid 2.0 funding model for the UN development system.
At present, we rely on complex and highly innovative funding components, and we remain vulnerable to fluctuations in voluntary funding. We need to stabilise the system.
The current situation requires a sense of urgency. Following the ECOSOC Segment, we will take stock of your perspectives before we launch an inclusive and transparent consultative process on the next steps. A dedicated report by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly will follow before the end of the year. Excellencies,
This is not an ordinary year.
As we prepare for the SDG Summit in September 2023, we must build on the progress made and maintain our commitment and high ambitions.
And this is no ordinary ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment.
It is a milestone in our reform efforts and a critical bus-stop on our way to September.
I look forward to hearing your views and perspectives on my report and our work to deliver on the high expectations you place on the UN development system.
Thank you
Together, we have transformed the UN development system.
We are no longer in the start-up phase - our efforts are bearing fruit.
Our results are no longer measured in terms of reconfigured structures or mechanisms and frameworks to incentivize coordination and coherence, nor in revised tools or hiring of staff.
We are now working at full speed and our results are measured in impacts on the ground.
Our Resident Coordinator system has navigated cascading crises to rally UN country teams around effective responses to COVID19.
We have seen a shift in how we operate on the ground – this has been recognized by many of you earlier today in the session with the Secretary-General.
The new development coordination system we have established at the heart of the Secretariat, is critical to all of these results.
Resident Coordinators are fostering more coherent, accountable and effective UN support for countries.
They are leveraging their impartiality and new capacities to channel skillsets and expertise housed across the UN system.
They have access to goldmines of expertise – often hosted in smaller, highly specialized entities across the Atlantic – which are absolutely critical to the SDGs. This has allowed us to make inroads in our support in areas ranging from trade, to financing, to food system transformations, to disaster risk reduction.
Resident Coordinators are now our backbone to translate global commitments into effective action on the ground.
Before these reforms, this link simply did not exist and there was a gap between intergovernmental outcomes and action by UN Country Teams.
This is no longer the case.
Resident Coordinators are no longer simply ‘coordinators’.
They are increasingly leveraging their convening power – and their legitimacy as representatives of the Secretary-General – to support governments to mobilize partnerships, financing and other means of implementation for the SDGs.
Resident Coordinators are key to ensuring that the UN support in country is fully aligned and tailored to national priorities and needs.
Finally, Resident Coordinators are effectively “first responders” in emergencies. They ensure a development focus from Day 1 when a crisis hits; and facilitating a smooth transition from crises into long-term sustainable development and resilience.
Excellencies,
My report on the Development Coordination Office (DCO) presents innumerable examples of how Resident Coordinators and RC Offices have made a positive difference in countries.
Independent evaluations; surveys of host governments and donors; independent assessments commissioned by agencies such as UNFPA - all demonstrate overwhelmingly positive feedback on the impact of the changes implemented.
These results reaffirm the value and effectiveness of our investments in strengthening development coordination through the RC system.
It is a testament to what we, together, have achieved.
Today, I would like to highlight five key achievements outlined in the report that are essential to our efforts.
First, strengthened Resident Coordination leadership.
With the effective support of DCO, we have carefully matched RC profiles with country needs and requirements and ensured the deployment of the right person in the right place at the right time.
This is giving us strong leadership in the field, as well as unprecedented levels of geographical diversity and gender parity.
85 per cent of host governments noted that Resident Coordinators provided strengthened leadership compared to before the reform. And 90 per cent acknowledge that Resident Coordinators have the necessary profiles and skillsets.
87 per cent agree that Resident Coordinators serve as a strengthened entry point to the UN offer. This represents a 35 per cent increase since the beginning of the reforms in 2019.
Second, strengthened RC office capacities – strategic planning, economic analysis, partnerships, data analytics, and results reporting –have provided critical support to UN country teams.
92 per cent of host Governments agreed that the UN adequately provides evidence-based policy advice, compared to 88 per cent in 2021.
92 per cent also say that Resident Coordinators are contributing to the creation of effective partnerships in support of national efforts to advance the 2030 Agenda and achieve the SDGs. This is up from 85 per cent in 2020.
88 per cent confirmed Resident Coordinators effectively lead the delivery of strategic support for national plans and priorities
DCO regional support also enhanced the capacity of Resident Coordinators to fulfil their leadership and coordination roles – this is an important conclusion of a 2022 evaluation by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).
Third, the RC system is playing a crucial role in leading the emergence of a new generation of UN country teams.
The RC system has increased the ability of host governments to easily access UN expertise across relevant UN entities, regardless of location – fostering a more flexible, coherent, responsive and effective UN offer.
Cooperation Frameworks – while a work in progress – are already helping improve our response to national priorities. This is what we heard from 94 per cent of host governments.
91 per cent of Member States say UN country teams have the right mix of capacities to support national development efforts.
This was a central promise of these reforms.
Fourth, the report finds that the RC system has been instrumental in enhancing transparency and accountability of the UN development system’s activities.
All UN Country Teams now produce an annual UN country results report, a notable increase from 64 per cent in 2019.
The creation and improvement of new dashboards in UN INFO have enhanced transparency and saved approximately $2.4 million in services previously rendered by external vendors.
The revised multi-annual RC system results framework – the first of its kind – will allow us to track coordination results by specific objectives, outcomes and outputs.
We are grateful for the constructive and active engagement by Member States as we developed the Framework.
We will continue to review the framework to ensure it remains relevant and in line with every QCPR cycle.
Fifth, data confirms that the RC system has help drive efficiencies across entities of the system and generated substantial savings.
Close to 80 per cent of governments reported that the RC system helped minimize duplication of efforts while advancing the efficient use of resources.
Investments in specialized capacities to advance system-wide efficiencies through Business Operations Strategies, Common Back Offices and Common Premises are also paying off.
Taking into account all efforts, estimated efficiencies of around $405 million have been generated – an increase of 47 per cent from 2021.
We have come a long way to get to that point, as some of you will recall.
From establishing common methodologies to measure and track efficiencies; to achieving agreement across all entities of the UNSDG; to deploying innovative approaches at country level --- we have a strong foundation on which to build.
None of these results would have been possible without the leadership of my colleagues in the UNSDG and every single member of UN country teams around the world.
The UNSDG has paid its full share of the RC funding model – many in advance.
Entities have stepped up to adapt to the new working modalities of the repositioned UN development system.
I am grateful for their dedication.
Excellencies,
While celebrating these achievements, we must also address the pressing issue of funding.
The Secretary-General's message to ECOSOC earlier today was clear.
The RC system is chronically under-funded, despite all efforts by Member States, UN entities and the Secretary-General to implement the hybrid funding model mandated by the General Assembly.
At this point of the reforms, we urgently need to bridge the $85 million funding gap to ensure the continued delivery of results on the ground.
This gap has delayed critical investments in surge capacity – essential at a time of uncertainty and shocks, and resulted in cuts in investments in training, leadership and support at the regional and global levels.
It has also led to a significant reduction in the RC coordination fund – vital for convening country teams and external partners around countries’ priorities.
And every passing day brings further stress to our operations.
Existing posts – especially at country level – will have to be cut.
Our ability to follow up on expectations of Member States will diminish. And so will the impact of our reforms.
In the end, it comes down to this: without adequate and predictable funding, we will jeopardize hard-won gains in the reforms and our ability to support the countries to deliver on the SDGs.
This is why the Secretary-General is calling on Member States to reconsider his recommendation for a hybrid 2.0 funding model for the UN development system.
At present, we rely on complex and highly innovative funding components, and we remain vulnerable to fluctuations in voluntary funding. We need to stabilise the system.
The current situation requires a sense of urgency. Following the ECOSOC Segment, we will take stock of your perspectives before we launch an inclusive and transparent consultative process on the next steps. A dedicated report by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly will follow before the end of the year. Excellencies,
This is not an ordinary year.
As we prepare for the SDG Summit in September 2023, we must build on the progress made and maintain our commitment and high ambitions.
And this is no ordinary ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment.
It is a milestone in our reform efforts and a critical bus-stop on our way to September.
I look forward to hearing your views and perspectives on my report and our work to deliver on the high expectations you place on the UN development system.
Thank you
1 of 5

Story
10 May 2023
Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data: Addressing Economic and Social Challenges in Lao People's Democratic Republic
What is the Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data?
The Joint Programme "High-Frequency Data" is a collaboration between the United Nations in Lao PDR and the Lao Academy for Social and Economic Sciences/Macroeconomic Research Institute. The project aims to provide targeted, disaggregated, and timely data to inform efficient policy responses and course corrections related to the fast-evolving food, energy, and financial crisis on the nation's fiscal capacity and individual households.
What is the purpose of the project?
The project seeks to understand the impact of the global food, fertilizer, energy, and financial crisis on Lao PDR and identify vulnerable groups impacted by the crisis, with a focus on women and girls.
What are the findings based on the data provided?
Based on the data collected and analyzed, there are several findings that policymakers should consider in their decision-making. Firstly, vulnerable groups need more support, as shown by an increase in demand for Mental Health and Psychosocial Counseling (MHPSS), a reversal trend of girls' school dropout, and poor urban and rural households being disproportionately burdened. Secondly, there is a threat to food security, with an increase in food prices and households resorting to coping strategies. Thirdly, there is a cost-of-living crisis due to the limited fiscal space for government response, with prices affected by exogenous factors, from war to climate change. Lastly, policymakers must recognize that exogenous factors play a key role in determining the price of key commodities.
What should policymakers do based on the findings?
Policymakers should explore these findings and develop appropriate policies to address these issues. They can consider the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) Financing Strategy, the Resilience Framework, and the LDC Graduation Smooth Transition Strategy to address the findings mentioned above.
Which government agencies should be involved in addressing the issues?
Policymakers must engage with various government agencies to address these issues. The Ministry of Health (MoH) should address the increase in demand for MHPSS, and the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) should focus on the reversal trend of girls' school dropout. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MoLSW) should address the issue of poor urban and rural households being disproportionately burdened and the cost-of-living crisis. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) should address the threat to food security, including the cascading effect of the increasing agricultural input prices. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) should address the cost-of-living crisis and declining consumer confidence. Lastly, the Bank of Laos (BoL) should focus on controlling inflation. Local governments should also be involved in addressing issues such as the increase in demand for MHPSS, the reversal trend of girls' school dropout, and the threat to food security.
What is the importance of the Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data?
The Joint Programme "High-Frequency Data" provides crucial information for policymakers to make informed decisions and develop appropriate policies in response to the fast-evolving food, energy, and financial crisis on the nation's fiscal capacity and individual households.
For any inquiries, please contact Matthew Johnson-Idan (matthew.johnson-idan@un.org).
For those interested in learning more about the Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data, please note that the links to download 3 bulletins and a policy brief are available below.
Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data: Bulletin 1 Vulnerable Groups
Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data: Bulletin 2 - Food Security and Livelihoods
Joint Programme on High-Frequency Data: Bulletin 3 - Macroeconomic Outlook of Lao PDR
Policy Brief
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Story
29 March 2023
Understanding the nexus between Environment, Climate Change and Human Rights in Lao PDR
Vientiane, 29 March 2023: Earlier this month, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Regional Office for South-East Asia (OHCHR, SEARO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) brought together the Government and the United Nations in Lao PDR in a first of a kind workshop series aimed to raise awareness on, and deepen the knowledge of, the inter-linkages between environment, climate change and human rights.
Delivering the opening remarks, Ms. Sara Sekkenes, United Nations Resident Coordinator to Lao PDR said, “As Government, United Nations, and development partners cooperate for the achievement of Lao PDR’s 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan, it is our collective duty to include human rights considerations in our work”.
In July 2022, the General Assembly resolution 76/300 recognized the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Since then, a growing number of international agreements and domestic legislation and policies have articulated the inter-linkages between human rights and the environment.
As Georgina Lloyd from UNEP highlighted referring to the work of the current and former UN Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights and Environment David R. Boyd and John Knox: “Human rights and the environment are deeply intertwined: human rights cannot be enjoyed without a safe, clean and healthy environment; and sustainable environmental governance cannot exist without the establishment of, and respect for human rights”.
Separate workshops were held for Government officials from the Department of Treaties and Laws (DTL) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), Ministry of Health (MoH), and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), as well as for UN agencies and entities to learn more about these critical issues. Representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Food Programme (WFP), and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) attended the workshop.
Speaking at the workshop, Ms. Romchat Wachirarattanakornkul from OHCHR, SEARO emphasized that Lao PDR “is amongst the most vulnerable countries to projected climate change trends where its communities face significant climate-related hazards that are exacerbated by poverty, malnourishment, and high exposure of poor and marginalized communities”.
The workshops raised awareness on some key issues for Lao PDR:
The substantive and procedural elements of the right to a healthy environment, with the prior being the end result (these include safe climate, clean air, healthy ecosystems and biodiversity, safe and sufficient water, healthy and sustainable food, non-toxic environment), and the latter the precondition for the realization of substantive elements (including access to information, public participation, access to justice).
The crucial role of environmental human rights defenders, who, at the forefront of environmental protection, are often the targets of harassment and threats for their exercise of fundamental human rights and for striving to protect the environment.
The importance of nature to the human well-being and the enjoyment of human rights in Lao PDR, as most livelihoods are directly connected to the environment – notably through agriculture and fisheries.
The identification of rights-holders and duty-bearers in relation to climate change, with States identified as primary duty-bearers in the light of their obligation to respect, protect and fulfil all human rights, but with other actors, including courts, businesses, civil society organizations and, ultimately, individuals with a role to play in the advancement and protection of the right to a healthy environment.
The unequal burden of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution falling on the most vulnerable and marginalized – particularly indigenous peoples, who rely on natural resources for survival, and women and girls.
Raising awareness in Lao PDR, a country rich in biodiversity, on the triple planetary crisis and on the need to strengthen the environment and human rights of those who protect it, has been one, but important, step towards the effective implementation of human rights in the country and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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Story
17 March 2023
Shedding light on challenges preventing women and girls from fulfilling their potential
Fatima-Zahra has written more than 50 human interest stories, highlighting UNFPA initiatives that benefit women and girls. This includes family planning measures, sexual and reproductive health services, midwifery, access to comprehensive sexuality education, women's empowerment and vocational training.
"In collaboration with my colleagues, I build communication tools to raise awareness about the rights of women and girls, share life lessons and raise their voices at national, regional and global level," Fatima-Zahra shares.
The most gratifying part of my assignment is telling the stories of women and girls who we aim to see and portray as powerful, empowered, capable and able to enjoy their rights and lives. -- Fatima-Zahra Benyahia, UN Volunteer Partnerships and Innovation Specialist with UNFPA, Lao PDR.
Fatima-Zahra seeks partnership opportunities for projects to promote women's rights and their empowerment. She also monitors the implementation of UNFPA interventions. In a typical day, she oversees partnership documentation and meeting the requirements of donors, collaborates on project proposals, writes success stories and highlights emerging issues impacting women and youth.
She and her operations team help setup the activities for women empowerment. Through concrete documentation, she also ensures that donors see the impact of UNFPA’s programmes so their economic support to ongoing projects remains intact.
Fatima-Zahra is an example of a female professional who demonstrates UNV and UN values. She has a passion to learn, looks for solutions and embraces the values of advancing rights and choices for women and girls. -- Mariam A. Khan, UNFPA Representative in Lao PDR.
Fatima-Zahra exudes positivity wherever she goes. She says, "I strongly believe that by giving opportunities to other women, as it was given to me, we ensure women continue to grow, to gain confidence and show to the world what women are capable of."
Fatima-Zahra Benyahia is a staunch supporter of the rights of women and girls. Through the stories she writes, she sheds light on what prevents women, girls and youth from fulfilling their potential, such as child marriage, early pregnancy, maternal death and gender-based violence. Originally posted on UNV website on 16 March 2023.
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Story
11 December 2022
Human Rights Day 2022 - “Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All”: a year-long campaign to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Op-Ed co-penned by Ms. Ina Marčiulionytė, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Laos and Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator to Lao PDR
10 December this year marks the 74th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). While much progress has been achieved on human rights protection during these years, the very same promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of dignity and equality in rights are constantly under threat.
To remind us of the current relevance and legacy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ahead of the 75th Anniversary celebration next year, on 10 December 2022 – Human Rights Day – the United Nations (UN) will launch the year-long campaign “UDHR 75: Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All”. As the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, put it, the year-long campaign seeks to regain the centrality, universality, and indivisibility of human rights, and to shift the needle of understanding and action towards greater knowledge of the Declaration and universal human rights standards.
What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
On 10 December 1948, the Member States of the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the UDHR, a cornerstone document centered on the fundamental belief that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.[ii] After the end of World War II, which devastated large parts of Europe and Asia, the international community vowed to never allow such atrocities and cruelty to ever happen again. To this end, the UN were established in 1945, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted just three years later, with the aim to protect and promote fundamental rights and freedoms. Through the Declaration, world leaders strongly reaffirmed their commitment to uphold “fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women” and confirmed their determination to “promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.”
Member States representing all humanity in its different political, legal, religious, and cultural backgrounds participated in the drafting of the Declaration. As its names goes, the Declaration is universal: this means that it applies to all people, in all countries around the world, at all times. In its comprehensive coverage, the UDHR outlines 30 universal rights and freedoms that belong to all and cannot be taken away. These rights and freedoms encompass all aspects of our daily lives and those of our families: the right to education, the right to health, the protection and promotion of which has become evident during the COVID-19 pandemic; but also, the right to life, to liberty, to privacy, to seek and receive information, and to be free from any form of discrimination.
In the decades since its adoption, the Declaration has become a global road map for freedom and equality, and for protecting the rights of every individual, everywhere; it has been accepted by all UN -- and thereby also EU Member States -- as international customary law and become one the most translated documents in the world, including into Lao. This speaks to its universality and centrality still today.
The breadth of civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights covered by the Declaration has served as the foundation for the associated legally binding international human rights treaties, among others the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which together are known as the International Bill of Human Rights. The Declaration has inspired the current international human rights system, by guiding the creation of clear benchmarks for universal human rights standards that all Governments are encouraged to translate into rights-based domestic legislation and policies, which are essential to achieve sustainable development for all.
To date, Lao PDR has ratified seven of the nine core international human rights treaties and has committed to take steps towards full ratification, including of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the International Convention for the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families in the years to come. The 2015 Constitution of Lao PDR enshrines the Declaration’s principles by recognizing the need for protection and promotion for many fundamental rights and freedoms. The UN and the EU, and other development partners, reinforce their commitment to support the Government of Lao PDR and civil society to achieve full ratification and internalize human rights standards into domestic legislation, with a view to build an inclusive, and sustainable society grounded in the respect of rights.
How can the UDHR support the realization of sustainable development in Lao PDR?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is inextricably tied to sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the global community with a roadmap towards inclusive development that is strongly anchored in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent international human rights treaties, in that the 2030 Agenda “seeks to realize human rights for all”. The SDGs, much like human rights, are people-centered, universally applicable, and indivisible. The principles of equality and non-discrimination, which are enshrined in the UDHR, also lie at the hearth of the 2030 Agenda and the promise by State leaders in 2015: to Leave No One Behind.
Human rights and the SDGs also mirror each other: the right to education is reflected in SDG 4; the right to health in SDG 3; the right to work in SDG 8; the right to justice in SDG 16, and so on. The right of all groups, including the most vulnerable, to be included and participate meaningfully in development and decision-making processes are key elements of both the sustainable development and human rights agendas.
Lao PDR, like other countries around the world, is battling negative economic consequences of COVID-19. In addition, the severe impacts of the recent global food, energy, and financial crises are likely to exacerbated chronic challenges, lead to increased inequalities and to a potential retrogression in SDG achievements. The UN and the EU stand ready to support the Government and civil society to tackle these challenges together, through upholding the values and rights enshrined in the Declaration, and in the human rights instruments that Lao PDR has ratified, employing a human rights-based approach to sustainable development, and promoting protection, inclusion, and participation of vulnerable groups to all dimensions of life.
The UN and the EU, along with other development partners, offer their continued support to the Government of Lao PDR to enhance the protection of human rights, including through the implementation of recommendations received during the last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and now included in the National Action Plan for the Implementation of UPR recommendations, as well as recommendations received during recent and upcoming interaction with Human Rights Treaty Bodies, including: the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Committee on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Right. Implementing such recommendations offer a concrete opportunity to put the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into practice.
Why is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights still relevant today, after 75 years?
Our countries and communities are facing new and ongoing challenges that jeopardise these rights, including pandemics, conflicts, increased inequalities, and discrimination, raising poverty, increasing migrations, and the threats posed by climate change, environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity.
Guided by the values and rights enshrined in the Declaration, Governments must employ a human rights-based approach to address these challenges, including the pandemic, racism, discrimination, violence, and climate change. The basket of rights covered by the Declaration, including civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights must serve as a guidepost for States’ collective actions that do not leave anyone behind and must serve as foundation for Building Back Better. During these uncertain times, Government, communities, businesses, individuals, and all stakeholders are called upon to uphold the core principles of universal, indivisible, and interdependent human rights, with a view to achieving freedom from want, freedom from fear, and a healthy environment for everyone, without discrimination.
The UDHR 75 campaign strives to increase global knowledge and awareness of the UDHR and its enduring relevance for our times and for the future. It aims to promote attitude and behavioural change, by establishing that human rights are never relative and must always be upheld as what unites humanity – across nations, across communities and among people. Finally, the campaign seeks to empower and mobilize support around human rights values and principles, offering concrete knowledge and tools to help people understand how the Universal Declaration of Human Rights applies to the assurance of a peaceful and sustainable development for all and that leaves no one behind.
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Press Release
04 April 2023
UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety returns to Southeast Asia (5-19 April) to call for more investment in road safety
Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of fatalities and life-long disabilities in Asia, with fifty-eight percent of the world’s 1.3 million road deaths occurring in the Asia-Pacific region. Although road traffic death in the Asia and the Pacific region in 2019 showed a decrease of 12% from 2016, the rate across the region still remains high and efforts need to be made, particularly for the most vulnerable road users and countries.
South-East Asia faces high mortality rates…
According to the World Health Organization, South-East Asia has the second highest road traffic fatality rate of 20.7 per 100,000 population after Africa which is 26.6 per 100,000 population. Thailand and Malaysia are among the most vulnerable countries in the region with a fatality rate of 32.2 and 23.6 per 100,000 population, respectively. In Lao PDR, annual crashes rose by 35% between 2010 and 2020, and the number of fatalities increased by 67% to reach over a thousand. The WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018 shows an increasing trend in road traffic deaths in the Philippines, with a fatality rate of 12.3 per 100,000 population. By comparison, the fatality rate is 9.3 per 100,000 population in Europe.
… and rapid motorization
Asian countries have experienced rapid motorisation in recent years, especially concerning motorised 2-3 wheelers. Particular attention should be paid to this mode of transport which represent 40 % of crash fatalities in South Asia. Thailand reports the highest rate of motorcycle-related deaths in the world while nearly 60% of all road traffic deaths in Malaysia are riders of motorcycles. According to the Health Department of the Philippines, 65% of road crash victims are motorcycle riders. According to a survey in Lao PDR, only 64% of motorcycle riders controlled were wearing helmets, with females more likely than men to be wearing one, but only 10% of child passengers wore helmets. It is therefore urgent to implement proven solutions that can save lives such as wearing a certified quality helmet which could reduce the risk of fatality by 42% and injuries by 69%.
“Southeast Asia faces a tragedy on the roads. However, solutions exist, combining policy enforcement and education. Simple gestures can also save lives, such as wearing a seatbelt or a helmet, not driving under influence, not texting while driving, or reducing speed”, highlights the Special Envoy
The region has taken new initiatives to strengthen safety on the roads. For example, activities to implement the Global Plan have been initiated in Malaysia, from the safety of vehicles – especially motorcycles – to improving road infrastructure. In 2021, the Child Restraint System law was implemented with the aim of reducing fatalities amongst children. The country also designed a National Road Safety Plan for 2030 aligned to the 12 UN Voluntary Global Road Safety Performance Targets, in a very big step forward. There are also projects being supported by the UN Road Safety Fund in the Lao, Thailand, Philippines, and Malaysia.
Road crashes represent a huge cost to people and societies
In addition to the human loss, road crashes draw the most vulnerable into a vicious cycle of poverty, from medical costs, material damage, loss of economic capacity and mobilization. According to a World Bank report on private investment, road fatalities cost economies $1.7 trillion dollars per year, and from three to five percent of GDP. According to the World Bank (WB 2016), the cost of road crashes represents 5.4% of GDP in Lao PDR, 4.1% of GDP in the Philippines, and as high as 8% of Malaysia’s GDP . A study by the World Bank (2017) reports that if Thailand would cut road traffic mortality rates by 50% over a period of 24 years, it could generate additional income equivalent to 22.2% of GDP. This shows how investing in road safety pays off.
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Media Contact:
Secretariat of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety:
Priti Gautam priti.gautam@un.org
Stephanie Schumacher stephanie.schumacher@un.org
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Notes to Editors:
The United Nations has invested significantly in tackling the problem of road safety globally. Following the “Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020”, the UN General Assembly in August 2020 adopted a resolution on “Improving Road Safety”, that reconfirmed its commitment to halving the number of global traffic deaths and injuries and to providing access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all by 2030. In July 2022, the road safety community met in New York City for the first ever High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety at the United Nations General Assembly, unanimously adopting a text titled: “Political declaration of the high-level meeting on improving global road safety”.
To galvanize intersectoral actions and raise the visibility of road safety, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, appointed in 2015 Jean Todt as his Special Envoy for Road Safety. He was reconfirmed in this role by the new UN Secretary-General, António Guterres in 2017 and in 2021. In 2018, together with 14 UN organizations, the Special Envoy launched the UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF).
The Special Envoy recently launched a new campaign to raise awareness about road safety #streetsforlife, in collaboration with JCDecaux, during the High-level Meeting for Road Safety and to be implemented in 80 countries by the end of 2024.
Brochure of the Special Envoy and Twitter account.
UNECE hosts the Secretariat of the Special Envoy for Road Safety. UNECE is the custodian of the United Nations road safety legal instruments applicable worldwide, such as the Convention on Road Traffic, the Convention on Road Signs and Signals, and the 1958, 1997 and 1998 Vehicle Regulations Agreements. UNECE services the ECOSOC Committee of Experts on Transport of Dangerous Goods, as well as the only permanent United Nations intergovernmental forum on road safety (Working Party on Road Traffic Safety) and the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations, both in the framework of the Inland Transport Committee, which is the only permanent UN forum specialized in inland modes of transport.
The UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF). finances projects implemented in South-East Asia such as Improvement of driver licensing system in Laos PDR; Improving motorized two-wheeler safety in Thailand; and Expanding safe school zone models in selected highly urbanized cities in the Philippines; and a multi-country project that includes Malaysia on Motorcycle Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS).
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Press Release
09 March 2023
Joint LDC Statement
High-Level Round Table 8: Supporting Sustainable & Irreversible Graduation from the LDC Category, 9th March 2023
Statement by on behalf of the three countries: Lao PDR, Bangladesh and Nepal
Delivered by: Mme. Phonevanh Outhavong Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment
· Excellencies Mr. Chair/Md. Chair
· Distinguished, ladies and gentlemen.
· A very good morning to you all
I have the honour to represent delegation of Bangladesh, Nepal and my country, Lao PDR to highlight some main points of the joint statement of the joint side event entitled 'Sustainable and Smooth Transition for the graduating cohort of 2021' organized on 5 March 2023 as follows:
As the Graduating Cohort of 2021, we, the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic, and the Government of Nepal underline our common commitment to sustainable and inclusive national development despite the challenging circumstances.
1. Therefore, we call upon the international community and development partners for:
a.Continued partnership, cooperation and international support to formulate and implement strategies in the areas of fostering structural transformation, improving competitiveness of domestic
producers, reducing digital divide and promoting international trade and foreign investment during and beyond graduation.
b. Continuation of International Support Measures beyond graduation, for which a formal submission has been made to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for consideration, including
preferential market access and TRIPS waivers, particularly for pharmaceutical products for combating public health-related challenges and pandemics.
c. Mobilization of international support to promote export diversification both in terms of commodities and markets, and advocate for necessary support for recently graduated countries,
including through WTO processes.
d. Providing easy and flexible access to climate mitigation and adaptation finance on a concessional basis, including in the context of loss and damage, and continuation of technology
transfer to LDCs after their graduation, as emphasized through the Conference of the Parties (CoP) process.
e. Ensuring technical assistance to support Public Finance Management reforms, notably to fill data and infrastructure gaps with regard to a large informal sector, and capacity development
and modernization of tax administrations.
f. Continued Official Development Assistance to meet financing gaps for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals and national development priorities and to make a shift towards
sustainable development practices, noting our collective commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015.
g. Post-graduation extension of the waivers in the regional and sub-regional trade agreements and other support measures provided to the graduated LDCs.
h. Assurance of safe, orderly and regular migration with full respect for human rights and the humane treatment of migrants, regardless of their migration status, easy access to quality
financial services to lower the transactional cost of remittances, and technical support to ensure remittances can be used for long-term investment in productive sectors, such as micro-,
small-, and medium-sized enterprises, for economic transformation and job creation in the LDCs.
2. In the context of the shocks to development that the world is contending with, it is incumbent upon all of us to stay the course with the global call to rescue the SDGs and get back on track to building a better world that “leaves no one behind”, and the success of the Graduating Cohort of 2021 in reaching the thresholds for graduation is a major milestone and shows our common commitment to this progress. However, maintaining the progress throughout the transition, and ensuring that the graduation is sustainable and irreversible, requires continued and concerted support measures from the international community and development partners along with our collective endeavour and commitment to implementation of the Doha Programme of Action.
Thank you.
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Press Release
06 November 2022
UN Day 2022: Seminar on Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals
The seminar aimed to raise awareness for the high school students and public on the triple planetary crisis and the urgency of climate action. It also offered an opportunity for the young people to raise their concerns and propose initiatives to address the triple planetary crisis. The event was attended by UN Country Team members, led by Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR; Ambassador John Pearson, UK Ambassador to Lao PDR; Mr. Loris Palentini, WWF Country Director; Dr. Kongmeng Ly, specialist from the Mekong River Commission; representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources and Environment; the Faculty of Environmental Science, National University of Laos; and over 100 students from the School for Gifted and Ethnic Students as well as participants joining online.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Khamphouth Phommasone, Director of the School for Gifted and Ethnic Students, highly appreciated the strong acknowledgement by the UN of the important role of the youth to act on climate change. He said:
“We share your views on the powerful connection between education and climate change. We strongly believe that climate change education will significantly help students develop a strong personal connection to climate solutions and as a result, an increased sense of responsibility to adapt their daily behaviours to reduce the negative impacts of climate change.”
On the same note, Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR, stated in her opening remarks that:
“This year, at the recent 77th General Assembly of the United Nations, Secretary General António Guterres reminded us of a world teeming with turmoil, with a war among nations and nations waging war with nature and the planet upon which we all depend.” She further added that: “What better then, to discuss “the defining issues of our time”, at the opportunity of the United Nations Day and the many dimensions of the Triple Planetary Crisis, and learn together with the faculty members and students of the National University of Laos and its School for Gifted and Ethnic Students, what we can do individually and collectively to turn the tide.”
The main session of the event began with a panel discussion on the “Triple Planetary Crisis”, moderated by Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR on various issues. The panelists members included H.E. John Pearson, UK ambassador to Lao PDR, who discussed on the importance of addressing Climate Change impacts; Mr. Loris Palentini, WWF-Laos Country Director, sharing the importance of protecting biodiversity and promoting community engagement; and Dr. Kongmeng Ly, a specialist from the Mekong River Commission, talking about water resource management and the impact of water pollution. The afterwards session was followed by a presentation by Mr. Vantthone Phonnasane, Deputy Director of Division, Department of Climate Change, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, who shared about Climate Resilience and Laos’ Preparation for COP27.
The participants were enthusiastic to have an excellent opportunity to learn new knowledge on climate resilience, and to have direct intervention and discussion with the panelists throughout the event. Ms. Thipphaphone Vilaysouk, a student from Phonesavanh-the School of Gifted and Ethnic Students who joined the event, said:
“I felt so glad to attend this seminar and learn more about the crucial environmental issues occurring on our planet. This event is useful for us to understand more on the environmental issues as well as its resolutions. I hope there will be more events like this in the schools, institutions, and other places in near future so that everyone in the community can be more aware of these issues.”
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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
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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