UN Day 2019: Ensuring Development for All in Lao PDR

On this day, the UN reaffirms its pledge to support countries around the world, including Lao PDR, in achieving their national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as set by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since joining the UN in 1955, Lao PDR has been committed to the values of the UN Charter and actively contributing to the global development agenda under the three pillars of the UN Charter: Peace & Security, Development and Human Rights.

Working together with the Government of Lao PDR under the provisions of the Charter, the UN supports the country in achieving them. The current activities of the UN Country Team (UNCT) are framed by the UN – Lao PDR Partnership Framework 2017-2021 aimed at supporting the Government of Lao PDR in achieving the outcomes of the 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2016-2020).

In the area of Development, the UNCT supports programs aimed at sustainable and country-owned transformational changes, ensuring that inequality gaps are addressed, and no one is left behind. These are two essential components of Peace & Security. This includes working together towards a smooth graduation of Lao PDR from the least developed countries (LDCs) status by 2024 and supporting achievement of the national SDG targets.

This year the UN in Lao PDR, together with the UN development system globally, is undergoing a reform driven by Member States to make it more efficient and put more focus on results and People. To strengthen the coherence of the UN work in Lao PDR, an independent function of UN Resident Coordinator has been introduced in 2019, which was previously combined with the role of the UN Development Programme Resident Representative. The UN reform facilitates Delivering as One across UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes and ensures better alignment with the Lao PDR development needs and priorities.

The UN Day 2019 wishes to emphasize sustainable development for all with the commitment of leaving no one behind, highlighting the activities of the UNCT in Lao PDR throughout October, including events and discussions on World Habitat Day, International Day of Girl Child, Disaster Risk Reduction Day, Adolescent Research Day, launch of State of the World’s Children 2019 report, World Food Day and Poverty Eradication Day and Week. This year has a special significance for Lao PDR for promoting localization and integration of the SDGs, with the Government endorsement of a comprehensive list of national SDGs indicators. Lao PDR is making steady progress towards achieving the 2030 Agenda, including the National SDG18 – Lives Safe from UXO.

On Human Rights, which are largely interconnected with social, economic and cultural rights, Lao PDR is party to seven of the nine core human rights treaties. It also subscribes to a number of additional international legally binding instruments which sets a universal standard for social, economic and environmental dimensions of development: five out of eight fundamental ILO conventions, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as the standards set by the member states of the ASEAN and the WTO. The UN welcomes the recent signatures by Lao PDR during the 74th UN General Assembly, joining two more treaties – the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, contributing to peace & security, and the UN Convention on Contracts for International Sales of Goods, which can elevate cross-border trade of Lao PDR and contribute to its economic growth.

Next year's 75th Anniversary of the United Nations is an opportunity to revisit our collectively owned UN Charter, and UN Member States have decided that commemorations throughout the year will ask about the Future We Want and the United Nations We Need. A continuous dialogue on these is necessary for building a truly global partnership to realize humanity’s shared aspirations for a just, peaceful and sustainable future. With some of the current global challenges of poverty, inequality, climate crisis, migration and displacement threatening the world’s progress towards the SDGs, it is now more crucial than ever to reaffirm our collective commitment to multilateralism. In order to secure this progress and tackle threats to sustainable development that can have an impact beyond borders and generations, it is imperative to renew our support to dialogue and cooperation as key to achieving the SDGs at local, national and global levels.

At the occasion of the UN day, the UN Country Team in Lao PDR takes the opportunity to reflect on its work against the tenets of the UN Charter, with the aim of supporting the Government in its progress towards development for all.