Remarks at Multi-Stakeholder Consultation workshop on CF Evaluation Report and Country Analysis

• Director-General Moukdavanh Sisoulith, Department of International Organizations, MoFA

• Excellencies, representatives from the Government, Development Partners,

• Representatives from the iNGO Network, CSOs, academia and private sector 

• UN Country Team members:

Good afternoon and welcome to the multi-stakeholder consultation workshop on the Evaluation of the 2022-2026 Lao PDR—UN Cooperation Framework and the Country Analysis for our new programme cycle. I am very grateful to DG Moukdavanh for co-chairing today’s meeting and to the DIO team for facilitating the participation of line ministries and national stakeholders. Welcome also to participants joining us online, particularly non-resident embassies.

Intentionally, our UN Cooperation Framework runs a year behind the Government’s national socio-economic development plan. This is meant to achieve full alignment with national development goals and priorities. The UN’s support for the 10th NSEDP is through Sector Working Groups providing feedback on the draft narrative of the Plan; via the inter-agency Learning, Evaluation and Data group engaged in strengthening the M&E framework; and through support for the development of the Financing Strategy for the 10th Plan. 

Along with the national plan, the evaluation of the current Cooperation Framework and the comprehensive country analysis on the state of play and emerging trends will shape the development of our new five-year framework, i.e. 2027-2013 Lao PDR—UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

We are mid-way in our roadmap to [pre[are for the new cycle as we enter the final stages of an iterative process of engaging on these two key reports – the independent evaluation, to which many of you have contributed to defining, and the Country Analysis that is drafted by the UN Country Team and technical experts.

The Evaluation Report of the 2022-2026 Cooperation Framework provides an independent assessment of how effectively the UN system has supported national development priorities under the current five-year period. It examines what worked well, what did not, and—most importantly—why. The insights and recommendations from this evaluation tell us where the UN’s comparative advantage has been strongest, and where support must evolve to remain fit for purpose.

The Country Analysis provides forward-looking analysis for the next Cooperation Framework. It reflects the UN Country Team’s shared understanding of Lao PDR’s development context, and identifies key trends, emerging risks, and opportunities for UN’s engagement. Simply put, it helps us understand where the UN can add the greatest value in the coming years. The Country Analysis ensures that the next five-year framework is grounded in evidence and aligned with national priorities, while anticipating future challenges as Lao PDR advances toward sustainable and resilient development beyond LDC graduation.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all Government counterparts in Ministries, the development partners, the NGO and CSO actors, the private sector and the academia for contributing to the Evaluation process, particularly during the data collection phase in June of this year. The Evaluation team engaged with over 200 stakeholders in more than 50 meetings, ensuring that the scoping reflects diverse perspectives, including from the provincial level. My special thanks to MoFA and MOF for their crucial leadership and guidance as members of the Technical Evaluation Steering Committee for the Evaluation exercise. 

I would like to also acknowledge UNFPA and UNICEF for their dedicated stewardship as Evaluation Managers, guiding this process from start to finish with great professionalism and commitment; and the UN inter-agency drafting task teams behind the Country Analysis, for their collective efforts at a robust and forward-looking overview of development trends.

Ladies and gentlemen:

The multi-stakeholder consultation workshop today represents an important milestone in the roadmap towards formulating our next Cooperation Framework cycle 2027-2031. Both streams of work – the evaluation of the current cycle and the analysis for the next five years of UN support – will converge today for your feedback and validation of key insights. As we begin presenting this content, let me put forward three points to help frame our discussion: 

• First, to reflect on the analysis and recommendations presented: The questions we would like to ask you here concern issues and areas that need to be refined further, or perhaps important dimensions that might be missing;

• Second, to request your thoughts and recommendations to help the UN in Lao PDR be fit for purpose — i.e. more focused, more deliberate and joined up, and responsive to national priorities; 

• And third, to look ahead: in an evolving context marked by financing pressures, demographic shifts and regional opportunities, how we can strengthen our partnerships to achieve stronger, more sustainable results together.

Your insights will feed directly into the next stage of our Cooperation Framework design, including the theory of change and strategic priorities for the 2027–2031 cycle. 

This next phase will be closely aligned with the Government’s planning processes, ensuring that our work contributes to the 10th Plan and supports principles of national ownership.

Dear friends:

At the global level, the Secretary-General’s UN80 Initiative reminds us that the United Nations is at a pivotal moment — one marked by both crisis and opportunities. As the Organization marks its 80th anniversary, it is called to renew itself: to be more coherent, more accountable, and more attuned to the needs and realities of countries we serve.

This spirit also resonates with what we are doing here in Lao PDR: using the Evaluation and Country Analysis meaningfully for a more integrated, effective and forward-looking Cooperation Framework for the next five years, and ultimately ensuring that we deliver tangible results through national leadership, stronger partnerships and a shared sense of purpose.

Once again, I thank all of you for your continued engagement and commitment to improving the work of the United Nations, in which you are all stakeholders.

With that, I am pleased to invite the Evaluation Team to present key findings and recommendations from the Evaluation Report, followed by a presentation of the Country Analysis trends and foresight perspectives.