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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
28 March 2024
UN Country Annual Results Report 2023
The 2023 Annual Results Report provides a comprehensive overview of the UN development support to the national priorities during the second year of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2022-26). Bringing together the work of 25 UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes under four Strategic Outcomes, the report highlights the collective work of the UN in Lao PDR in response to key development challenges in 2023. Human interest stories, reflections on how we worked together and priorities for the future are also featured in the report.
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Publication
01 April 2024
2023 Common Country Analysis Update
The Common Country Analysis (CCA) is a reflection of evolving country contexts that identifies key development challenges. The CCA is an essential tool used by the UN country team (UNCT) to ensure appropriate and focused programming that tackles the right issues in the right ways. The UNCT is implementing the Lao PDR-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026 (UNSDCF) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its programming, and the regular update of the CCA is a crucial part of this effort.The UNSDCF, jointly designed by the Government of Lao PDR and 25 UN agencies, funds, and programmes, aligns with national development priorities and builds on the CCA's findings. To ensure that the UN programming remains relevant and up-to-date, the CCA is reviewed annually, and the first update was released in December 2022. The update reflects new developments and highlights emerging challenges that require changes to UN programming using a simple color-coding. The CCA update was prepared by the Programme Oversight Group and endorsed by the UNCT and the Lao PDR Government.
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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.
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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.
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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
10 July 2024
A handful of rice fields high hopes
“Building Climate-Resilient and Eco-friendly Agriculture Systems and Livelihoods” (Climate REAL) is a project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with financial support from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) as part of KOICA’s Integrated Programme for Climate Resilience and Empowerment in Attapeu Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.Five beneficiaries share the positive changes experienced from participating in the project.As the newly harvested rice is being processed in the rice sorter, Khammoun Heuangsouvantha remarks on the noticeable change in the quality and quantity of the rice he can produce. The 58-year-old has been farming rice all his life – starting at a young age helping his parents in the fields – but this is the first season that he has seen such good yields. For decades, Khammoun had only experienced low yields, and providing for his family of six had become increasingly more difficult. Crop production was affected by multiple factors including threats imposed by climate change, natural disasters, pests and diseases. Farmers in the community had few resources or strategies to respond to these problems and relied on traditional practices. “With all the effort I put in, I only ever got low output. If I put in less effort, I got even lower yields.” February 2023 was the start of a new venture for Khammoun. Because of his passion for rice farming and enthusiasm for new knowledge and skills to improve crop production, he was nominated by local government authorities to participate in the Climate REAL project activities. Initial engagement with the project included weekly trainings of season-long Farmer Field School on rice seed production and study visits to well-established and successful farmers in Savannakhet and Champasak Provinces. Khammoun learned quickly and was able to remember by heart the ingredients and proportions of botanical pesticides from locally available materials and specific techniques for rice planting procedures as well as pest and disease management. He could also provide the rationale behind the techniques. “I admit that I did not know about which fertilizer was for rice crops, the role of fertilizer for rice at each growth stage, which formula to use when and by how much in relation to the rice growth stage and size of paddy field until I joined the project. Now, I know that each formula contains different nutrient needs for rice crop development at each growth stage. Through learning by doing, l also learned that the level of fertilizer application depends on the rice growth stage and size of the rice field as well as soil fertility.”From joining the project, Khammoun now knows how to deal with, prevent and manage rice insects and disease such as planthoppers and seed-borne disease. He also fully recognizes how much the proper application of fertilizer contributes to the rice yield.One of the most significant lessons was the importance of seed selection to improve the quality of the yields. Techniques on seed selection need to be performed every rice planting season to reduce any potential seed-borne diseases, which can cause severe problems in the rice cultivation process. Within a few months, Khammoun was able to put his learning into practice with good results. He received 9kg of RD2 rice seeds from the project to produce RD3 rice seeds in the rainy/rice-growing season from June to November 2023 and decided to conduct an experiment. He would compare the results of using traditional practices and project intervention techniques with the rice seeds given by the project against his own. He applied what he had learned in the Farmer Field School on RD3 rice seed production, and used traditional practices as a control field. He observed a big difference between the two. He was delighted to report that rice grown with techniques and quality seeds introduced by the project produced bigger and greener leaves and plumper rice ears.Not only was the quality better, but the project intervention techniques also resulted in greater volume. The 9kg of RD2 rice seeds from a reliable source produced 480 kg of RD3 rice seeds which, at LAK 12 000 per kilo, could sell for approximately LAK 6 million. Conversely, his own traditional rice variety and technique yielded lower outputs and could only fetch a price of LAK 7 000 per kilo. This is the first time that Khammoun has been involved with projects such as Climate REAL and, while initial investments were high, the results have been amazing. He and others in farmer groups in the area are grateful to the project for investing in the rice sorting machine, which reduces the cost of processing the quality rice seed with potential market access. This initial investment gave direct beneficiaries the confidence to financially engage with project activities and also showed the potential for their own investment in the future. Because of his great results, Khammoun has been invited to join many workshops, meetings and events. He has gone on to share his knowledge with his family and the wider community, including local farmers who have not yet participated in the project directly and with other target districts of the project.Hopes are high for the rice farming communities of Attapeu Province. Apart from planning and preparing for the next rice growing season, Khammoun has also started to make plans for his grandson’s future. He personally believes that there is no end to the learning and enrichment and that local farmers can benefit from continued support. It is hoped that in the next 5 to 10 years, villagers will be able to produce enough rice not only for their own families but also for sale. The potential to start a small agribusiness and gradually improve living conditions would be within reach.
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Story
02 July 2024
A garden of hope and prosperity
“Building Climate-Resilient and Eco-friendly Agriculture Systems and Livelihoods” (Climate REAL) is a project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with financial support from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) as part of KOICA’s Integrated Programme for Climate Resilience and Empowerment in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR.Five beneficiaries share the positive changes experienced from participating in the project.Securing a better future for his children is what inspires Mr. La Xayyavieng to work hard and continue to find ways to earn a stable income from the land. For the 46-year-old father of three, his great passion is clear in his determination for his children to gain knowledge and experience abroad to bring back to the family land. “Deep in my heart, I have always known that agriculture is the lifeline for us to survive and to grow. Even though the family has experienced hardship, I have been determined to send two of my kids to Vietnam to learn agricultural know-how and best practices. Upon their return, I expected big improvements to my land.” However, it is Mr. La himself who is already creating change. After being selected under the Climate REAL project as one of the beneficiaries from Phok Village, Saysettha District, Mr. La has transformed his agricultural practices and has been able to increase his income by 160% in just one season.For years, Mr. La’s total income was less than LAK 30 million per year – barely enough to satisfy the basic needs of the family. Lack of access to alternative technologies and knowledge limited Mr. La to traditional practices, with the main sources of income coming from rain-fed rice farming and planting vegetables during the dry season. This meant that making a living during the rainy season was difficult. Growing vegetables was not an option at all as the vegetables would rot and the crop would be destroyed. Through project interventions, successful vegetable farming in both the rainy season and dry season is now a reality. It was during learning and knowledge exchange visits to Savannakhet and Champasak Provinces, that Mr. La realized what the future could hold. “I knew from the bottom of my heart that greenhouses would work for me as soon as I saw them and understood what they were,” he explained. For the greenhouse to be a success, Mr. La would further develop his skills through Farmer Field School training and would receive agricultural inputs to get started. A key part of the skills development was Agribusiness Training, which provided Mr. La with essential knowledge on understanding market needs, business operations and analysis. From the first rainy season crop, Mr. La reported that he was able to earn nearly as much in just four months as he would previously earn in a whole year.In addition to the vegetable seeds for the rainy season, the Climate REAL project also supplied watermelon, cucumber and corn seeds for Mr. La to experiment with during the dry season. These proved to be a huge success, with Mr. La seeing a return-on-investment of up to 900% for watermelon. The solar-powered small-scale irrigation system has been a key factor in increased profits as Mr. La does not have to cover the cost of electricity to irrigate. “Only 75 days of work and I earned a income of LAK 38.5 million from selling watermelon and LAK 2.65 million from selling cucumber. Where else I could earn such money from what I am passionate about?”The Climate REAL project has identified Mr. La as a model farmer as he builds his skills and knowledge from this project in addition to others conducted in the district prior to Climate REAL interventions. Farmers in Phok Village – especially members of Mr. La’s production group – are already seeking his advice for the coming planting seasons. The plan is to grow tomatoes, spring onion, lettuce and coriander, as the demand and prices are high.To pave the way for his children, Mr. La has also already started to transfer his knowledge and know-how to his youngest son, who is now 17 years old and studying at secondary school in the district. For Mr. La, the future is looking brighter.
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Story
28 June 2024
Lessons and value of joint planning in Lao PDR
As is the case in so many parts of the world, Lao PDR is highly exposed to rapidly increasing climate and disaster risks. These risks have enormous and varied implications, including frequent floods threatening 39.7% of the population1, and droughts disrupting livelihoods of more than 50% of workers in the agricultural sector2. But the availability of sufficiently detailed climate risk vulnerability data covering all 18 provinces and 148 districts remains a major challenge, substantially limiting ability to plan and prepare.In response to this clear and pressing need, in 2024 six UN agencies working in Lao PDR prioritised plans for climate risk vulnerability assessments (CRVAs) to help close this data gap.So far, so familiar.However, what is different about 2024 is that under the new generation Cooperation Framework, increasingly integrated joint workplanning processes have been put in place and are starting to drive changes in how the UN plans as system, rather than only as separate entities.And it was during this joint planning, in particular the discussions in the Results Group on “Environment, Climate Change and Resilience” (co-chaired by FAO and UNEP), that the connections between the different initiatives planned first became apparent across agencies.And with this early identification of plans, came the ability to take early action to coordinate.Crucially, identifying this common priority at this stage- before any of the work actually started- enabled agencies involved to better coordinate their assessments for greater overall coherence and efficiency, while reducing the burden on key Government counterparts.Whilst there were similarities between the different initiatives, each of the planned CRVA’s was distinct, prioritising different issues in line with agencies’ respective mandates (e.g., risks to different sectors, or segments of the population). By recognising this, we could set about working to minimize overlaps and maximise the novel contribution of each to improve the quality and quantity of information available to decision makers.Following a discussion on this initially within the UN Country Team, and later including Government counterparts during a Joint Steering Committee meeting, the discussion related to CRVAs has now shifted to technical level.Relevant agencies’ focal points are exploring ways to harmonise data collected from the different studies, and to empower the Government as the coordinating owner of data generated. Different options for a shared public-facing CRVA data platform are being explored, and the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Group (MELG) is engaging on how the data can be most effectively shared and used.So what can we learn from this?Joint workplanning exercises can often be met with a degree of scepticism about whether the time investment is really worth it, beyond the detailed planning that individual entities already do.But without this joint workplanning process, each agency would not have been aware of potential connections between their CRVA plans, and we could have been left with -at best- an after-the-fact attempt to reconcile and integrate conclusions.Instead, we are seeing increasing evidence of how these substantive annual discussions and joint prioritisation exercises can increase coherence and overall impact of programmes, reduce the burden on key Government institutions through more concentrated and effective partnerships.But we also believe that we can go further.While the 2024 joint work planning process helped identify common priorities around which collaboration is being strengthened, agencies’ projects and programmes for the year were largely agreed upon already internally to each agency, and with respective donors, when joint workplan discussions took place, limiting the scope for in-depth revisions of agencies’ plans.Tackling the next frontier, the UNCT in Lao PDR is now considering revising its annual planning cycle. While individual agency planning is currently undertaken prior to country-level JWPs, the new vision for the UNCT planning cycle in Lao PDR would include initiating joint workplanning earlier so to take place in parallel with and informing agencies’ respective planning processes. This proposal will be discussed in detail at a UNCT retreat later this year.Through the reformed approaches to UN programming under the Cooperation Framework, we are already seeing how systems are being put in place to identify, discuss, and act on information as a UN country team much faster.But as the reform beds in, there is so much more we can do.
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Story
25 June 2024
‘New Day’: Visiting a Pathbreaking Coffee Cooperative in Rural Lao PDR
Those who know me will know how much I love coffee. I love everything about it – the smell, the anticipation of a good cuppa, the discovery of charming cafes, the conversations that flow. Perhaps no one was happier than me when the coffee cooperative Vanmai opened a cart in UN House, significantly improving the mood of weekday mornings…and afternoons! So, when I got the opportunity to take a field trip to Houaphanh, I made sure to arrange a visit to the Vanmai cooperative, an alternative development project supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). It was the first visit for the UN Resident Coordinator Bakhodir Burkhanov together with Director General Daovy Vongxay of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the province. What sets Vanmai — meaning New Day in Lao — apart from other coffee cooperatives is that the farmers had previously grown opium or live in areas at risk of such illicit cultivation. The transition from opium to coffee is a story of perseverance and passion. It took eight years, numerous trainings and persistent advocacy to convince 800 households to convert to growing coffee. Like opium, growing coffee is hard work. Unlike opium, thanks in part to UNODC, coffee is proving to be more lucrative and more sustainable for farmers and the wider community.While Lao PDR is not traditionally a coffee-drinking culture, anecdotal evidence suggests that domestic coffee consumption is increasing. In 2023, Vanmai won a national award for the best washed arabica coffee in Laos. Vanmai is also sold internationally — a well-known French coffee company is a long-term buyer of Vanmai, bringing Lao coffee and its story into homes in France and abroad.Our field visit in Houaphanh started with meeting the UNODC project team at the office in the main city. We did an aroma test to identify the aroma notes of the coffee – that coffee lovers claim are more than wine! From there, we drove to the nearest plantation, which was 45 minutes from the main road and navigable only in a 4X4. We were shown around the village and coffee plantation by an agriculture extension worker — a young woman who teaches farming techniques. In the village, we visited the nursery, where each plant is looked after diligently for eight months before it is transferred to the plantation. At the plantation, we plucked what looked like red cherries, and inside discovered the coffee beans. I was struck by the sustainability of the process — the red covering is separated and is used to make fertilizer or cascara tea. The coffee plantations require tall shade trees that bind the soil together, thereby preventing erosion and promoting reforestation. New plants can grow on the same soil, unlike crops grown here before, which required shifting cultivation. Next, we went to the village to see the coffee processing. There, the red cherries were washed and separated by machine. The coffee beans were then put into a large bucket of water to ferment for 24 hours. Next, the beans would be laid out to dry and then sorted. In the beginning it takes some three years for a coffee tree to grow, to go from seed to coffee bean ready to roast. “At first, we didn’t believe the UNODC team when they explained why we should grow coffee. Now, we are envied by those who did not join our cooperative,” said one farmer, smiling as he accepted the token of appreciation that we gave him. Back in UN House, I showed the Vanmai coffee barista photos from our trip. He is from Houaphanh. Now, in addition to my perfect latte hon from the cart, I also get a warm smile, which makes the start of my day even better. The blog is written by Shairi Mathur, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator's Office, Lao PDR as part of an official mission led by the UN Resident Coordinator to visit the UNODC project. Read more: UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific
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Story
31 May 2024
Azerbaijan and Lao PDR: ‘Twins’ in pursuit of the SDGs
This is true for the UN development system that is working to support progress towards the 2030 Agenda, and it is true for the Member States that designed and signed up to it. And when we are falling so far behind, with Asia-Pacific collectively heading for a 32-year delay according to the latest estimates from ESCAP, that search for ideas needs to go beyond the most obvious places.Amongst the many efforts to analyze sustainable development progress, bottlenecks, and their solutions, perhaps the most extensive at the country level are the Voluntary National Reviews that countries can opt to develop and present to the High-Level Political Forum annually. These extensive, and collective, exercises speak to the universality of the SDGs and take a deep look at how close we are to reaching our 2030 targets, and shape ideas and policies that can help us to get there faster. This year, Azerbaijan and Lao PDR are both undertaking such reviews.At first glance, Azerbaijan, an upper-middle income country spanning Europe and Asia, would seem to have little in common with Lao PDR, a country working towards graduation from Least Developed Country status in the heart of tropical Southeast Asia.But look closer, and many more areas of common interest begin to emerge.Both have strong track records of commitment to the SDGs- Azerbaijan is preparing its fourth Voluntary National Review and Lao PDR its third. Both have worked hard to integrate the SDGs into national frameworks and policies. And both have encountered major obstacles to their pursuit of sustainable development for all.Perhaps most prominently, both have developed a bespoke SDG18. For Lao PDR, SDG18 aspires to ‘Lives safe from unexploded ordnance’. For Azerbaijan, SDG18 covers ‘Actions to combat mine threats’. In both cases, removing the threats from landmines and explosive remnants of war is considered essential for progress across the SDGs, despite this not being a clear element of the global 2030 Agenda.It is precisely the combination of these similarities and differences that set the context for a successful ‘twinning’ exchange between the two countries organized under a flagship ESCAP initiative to support Voluntary National Review processes.Arranged by ESCAP with support from UN Resident Coordinator’s Offices, UNDP, and UNICEF, the series of virtual and in-person exchanges between the two countries shared concrete ideas and experiences on how the SDGs can be pursued in a broad range of areas.This included sharing pragmatic experiences on how SDG policies and indicators can be prioritized, which is particularly valuable in the context of ongoing work to develop the next cycle of the National Social Economic Development Plan for Lao PDR.The ‘twins’ were able to compare notes on how national institutions and structures can be organized to integrate and promote the achievement of the SDGs, such as through the establishment of national committees, and clearly linking policy discussions to financial resources.And lessons were shared on how different groups of stakeholders can be effectively and substantively engaged in national processes for the delivery of the 2030 Agenda- in particular how young people and volunteers can be engaged as a demographic that is so critical to the future development prospects of both countries. This is already leading to new and promising areas of partnership. At the High-Level Political Forum in New York in July, a joint side event will be organized focused on the respective SDG 18s, working together to raise the profile of this critical development challenge for achievement across the SDGs for both countries.Discussions have also started on possible collaboration on issues related to climate change, and in particular climate finance in the lead up to Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29 later this year.Exchanges are continuing on how Azerbaijan’s successful experiences in the digital delivery of public services could be shared with counterparts in Lao PDR as it embarks on its Digital Government Masterplan.And building on this success, plans are afoot to continue the exchange, next time in Vientiane.We are collectively badly off-track from our vision for 2030, and in urgent need of actions to change the trajectory. But, as the experiences of Azerbaijan and Lao PDR show, precisely because that vision is so universal, there is a world of ideas and inspiration out there that countries can draw on. It’s our job to help build that bridge.
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Press Release
10 June 2024
In our memories of our centuries old tree
Since ancient times, strong and beautiful trees have been cherished across many cultures, and often regarded as sacred. There are many historic trees in Vientiane. This one guarded our compound. It had a small shrine where colleagues often went to pay their respects and ask for blessings. The tree was home to many species of birds and insects, and was a mini ecosystem of its own, providing generous shelter, protection and shade.Trees symbolize strength, hope, harmony and the cycle of life. In a fast-paced world that is too often divided, they remind us of the interconnectedness of everything.Trees have tremendous powers. They play a critical role in improving air quality and fighting climate change, cooling our cities, preserving biodiversity and ecosystems, improving soil and water conservation, supporting livelihoods, and benefiting our mental and physical health. The well-being of the people depends on all of this.While we are mourning the loss of our spirit tree, we are grateful that no one was hurt. It succumbed to the elements on a Sunday afternoon, when it was least likely to cause any harm to humans.The organizations of the UN House in Vientiane are assessing the material damage and liaising with the relevant authorities to find an appropriate home for the remains of the tree.We thank members of the public for the outpouring of support and well wishes expressed through social media. UN House organizations are committed to keeping the spirit of the mighty tree alive in keeping with local customs and traditions.
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Press Release
22 March 2024
Lao PDR-UN Cooperation Framework Steering Committee meeting 19th March 2024
The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Davy Vongxay, Director General of the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Bakhodir Burkhanov, UN Resident Coordinator. Participants included representatives from key ministries, including the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Education and Sport, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, as well as representatives from the UN Country Team.Director General Vongxay emphasized the importance of the Joint Steering Committee Technical Meeting among the National Focal Points and the UN Country Team in the Lao PDR serving as a mechanism to review the implementation of the annual plan of the 2022-2026 Lao PDR-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) that supports the implementation of the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan. Moreover, the Meeting also laid out future direction of the cooperation between the Lao PDR and UNCT which would be in line with the National Priorities including the Lao PDR Smooth Transition Strategy for LDC Graduation (STS) in 2026.The UN Resident Coordinator emphasized “The Joint Steering Committee provides the highest level of oversight of all the work of the UN Country Team in Lao PDR, so our regular meetings and the decisions we take are key to ensuring that support provided is as effective and aligned to national priorities as possible.”The meeting presented both progress during 2023 and priorities for the coming year under each of the four strategic priorities of the Cooperation Framework: People’s Wellbeing; Inclusive Prosperity; Governance and Rule of Law; and Environment, Climate Change, and Resilience. Total programming delivered by the 25 UN agencies that are part of the Country Team in 2023 reached USD84m, with the support of a broad range of partners, and tackling a wide range of national priorities. The 2023 Annual Report will be finalized and published online by the end of March.The Joint workplans presented how the different parts of the UN system will work in more coordinated and integrated ways to address key priorities ranging from education and learning to national planning and financing, data and statistical systems, and food systems transformation.Following the SDG Summit in September 2023, the meeting also took the opportunity to reflect on the 6 key transitions identified globally as key to unlocking faster progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals: food systems; energy access and affordability; digital connectivity; education; jobs and social protection; and climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Further, the Summit of the Future to be convened by UN Secretary-General in September 2024 aims to bring about an agreement to reform and reinvigorate multilateral cooperation, including for financing of the SDGs. The goals of the Summit are of high relevance to Lao PDR, and the high-level event will present an opportunity for the country’s reflections and engagement in global discourse. For more information on Resident Coordinator's Bakhodir Burkhanov remark, please see here: https://laopdr.un.org/en/264308-technical-meeting-joint-steering-committee-lao-pdr-un-sustainable-development-cooperation
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Press Release
19 January 2024
Essential contribution of Lao Migrant Workers recognized on International Migrants Day
VIENTIANE, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (ILO News) – To commemorate International Migrants Day, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the International Labour Organization (ILO) jointly organized a celebration on 18 January 2024 at the Lao-Korea Skills Development Institute in Vientiane Capital.
The theme for the event was skills development, acknowledging the major impact that migration can have on enhancing Lao migrants’ vocational skills, as well as the need to support them in obtaining market-relevant skills upon return so that they are able to reintegrate successfully into the labour market. Broadcast on Lao Youth Radio, the celebration brought together migrant workers and key stakeholder organizations to share their experiences on reintegration in Lao PDR.
Madame Anousone Khamsingsavath, Director General of the Department of Employment, said: “This type of targeted outreach event is critically needed to help inform returning migrant workers about the vocational skills training and job matching services that are available in Lao PDR. Particularly for women returnees, we want to provide them with greater opportunities to remain in the labour market.”
The International Migrants Day event was funded through support from the Governments of Australia and Canada, and the European Union. In her opening remarks at the event, Mrs. Karla da Silva Leitzke, Governance Attaché Delegation of the European Union to Lao PDR said: “Many Lao migrant workers not only make a major contribution to their households, communities and the country through financial remittances but also gain new vocational skills during their time abroad. It’s important that when they return home, there are job opportunities waiting for them to apply those skills.”
With funding from the ILO, migrant worker resource centres and civil society organizations have been providing extensive support for migrants to upskill and find new jobs upon returning home.
Mr. Robin Flint, First Secretary, Australian Embassy in Lao PDR, pointed out in his remarks that, “Recent ILO research has shown that many Lao migrant workers struggle to find employment upon return, and some end up having to migrate again. Providing access to information and services for migrants during all stages of the migration process is key to ensuring a successful migration experience."
One example is Ms. Vanny Santiphone, a 34-year-old woman from Boungsui Village in Salavan Province. Upon returning to Lao PDR, she decided to participate in a tailoring training provided by Village Focus International, where she stayed for free until she completed the course. While there, she also took part in a training on small business start-up and received information on safe migration.
After finishing the tailoring training, Vanny received an in-kind grant to buy the equipment she needed to open a shop at her home. She is now making traditional Lao skirts and mending clothes for people in her village. Although the earnings from her work are still small, Vanny is working hard to find new customers and expand the services she offers. She plans to continue to practice her tailoring skills until she can make a good living in her home village.
The United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families on 18 December 1990. Since that time, the 18th of December has been established as an international day to celebrate the major contributions of migrant workers to economies and societies around the world.
Mr. Bob Paquin, Chargé d’affaires and Head of Office of the Canadian Embassy, noted that, “While this is a time to reflect on the great benefits that migration brings to Lao PDR, we also need to recommit ourselves to ensuring their rights are fully protected.”
Data from the United Nations indicates that there are currently 1.35 million Lao nationals living abroad, more than half of whom are women. Collectively, they sent home US$225 million in remittances in 2023, representing an estimated 1.6 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product.
Oktavianto Pasaribu, Deputy Director of the ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic, said: “In the ideal scenario, labour migration can be a “triple win” for migrant households, countries of origin and countries of destination. The ILO is committed to working hand-in-hand with the Government, social partners and civil society organizations to help ensure safe and rewarding migration experiences for all Lao migrant workers.”
The TRIANGLE in ASEAN programme is part of the International Labour Organizations worldwide efforts to increase the benefits and minimize the risks of labour migration for all migrant workers. TRIANGLE delivers technical assistance with the overall goal of maximizing the contribution of labour migration to an equitable, inclusive and stable growth in ASEAN. The programme is funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Global Affairs Canada.
The Ship to Shore Rights South East Asia is an initiative of the EU and the UN, implemented by the ILO in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the overall objective of promoting regular and safe labour migration and decent work for all migrant workers in the fishing and seafood processing sectors. The programme addresses the characteristics of working in the fishing and seafood processing sectors as well as the barriers and risks present during migration, which can lead to unsafe migration, decent work deficits, abuse and forced labour.
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For more information please contact:
Mr. Vongtavanh Sayavong
National Project Coordinator, TRIANGLE in ASEAN Programme
ILO Country Office for Lao PDR
Email: Sayavong@ilo.org
Mr. Benjamin Harkins
Technical Officer, Ship to Shore Rights South East Asia Programme
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Email: harkins@ilo.org
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Press Release
15 December 2023
Lao People’s Democratic Republic Launches the First-ever Migration Profile
The launch was co-chaired by Mr. Sthabandith Insisiengmai, Vice Minister of Planning and Investment, Mr. Bakhodir Burkhanov, UN Resident Coordinator Representative to Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Ms. Shareen Tuladhar, IOM Chief of Mission to Lao People’s Democratic Republic. On this occasion, the representatives from line ministries, development partners, embassies, civil society organizations, and migration actors attended the event to mark the first-ever Migration Profile launch.
Migration Profile is a statistical report on migration situation of the country, compiling insights on the migratory processes, trends, and patterns against the background of existing regulatory systems, policy frameworks and international cooperation initiatives in the country. This report aims at facilitating evidence-based policymaking, policy commitments, inter-agency cooperation and promotes the mainstreaming of migration into broader policy making processes.
Under DRI’s leadership with the technical support from IOM, the development of the Migration Profile is an outcome of extensive consultation meetings, seminars engaging various relevant line ministries and stakeholders through Inter-ministerial Technical Working Group.
Shareen Tuladhar, Chief of Mission, IOM Lao People’s Democratic Republic said, “The Migration Profile supports evidence-based policymaking through the use of accurate and improved disaggregated data as well as strengthened government coordination mechanism. The report will also serve as a reference and capacity building tool to better understand the migration trends and priorities for the country.”
“This first-ever Migration Profile will also serve as a valuable tool for policymakers, researchers, practitioners and will serve as a resource base for capturing the entire scope of migration trends in the country. This initiative has also formed a foundational basis and a framework for the country to develop such reports in the future.” added Shareen Tuladhar, Chief of Mission, IOM Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
Bakhodir Burkhanov, UN Resident Coordinator to Lao People’s Democratic Republic said, “As Lao PDR takes on the Chair of the ASEAN next year, the United Nations System hopes that this report can frame and deepen the discussion on this important topic, which was already put on the table during Indonesia’s chairmanship this year.”
The report is expected to contribute towards achieving the country’s 9th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan 2021-2025 results with a particular focus on socioeconomic growth, human capital, and people’s well-being. Additionally, the study supports key strategic priorities of the Government under the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026.
Sthabandith Insisiengmai, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, expressed that “Migration should be one of the Government’s priorities in the policymaking, as it contributes to socioeconomic development and poverty reduction in the country. Thus, evidence-based data on migration will be very critical to develop policies and actions to address emerging migration issues and challenges.”
Migration Profile is a flagship report and a capacity building tool developed by IOM Member States to strengthen migration management capacity. Lao People’s Democratic Republic joined IOM as the 171st Member State in June 2018. As a relatively new member, IOM assisted the Government of Lao PDR in development this first-ever national level document through the support of IOM Development Fund (IDF).
With our commitments, IOM will continue to support the country in facilitating orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people.
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For more information, please contact: Ms. Shareen Tuladhar, Chief of Mission, IOM Lao People’s Democratic Republic at Shtuladhar@iom.int
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Press Release
14 December 2023
Joint Statement by the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Lao PDR committing to support the implementation of the recommendations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 16th December 2023
On 25 May 2016, the Government of Lao PDR submitted to the Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) the initial National Report on the measures taken to implement and monitor the progress towards the full realization of the rights of persons with disabilities at the country level.
On 30 September 2022, the CRPD issued Concluding Observations, namely recommendations that the Government of Lao PDR is expected to address in the following five years and implement by the next CRPD review.
In preparation of the CRPD review of Lao PDR, in 2022 the UN, in partnership with the Lao Disabled People’s Association (LDPA), supported Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) representatives to participate in each stage of the CRPD review cycle and action planning to address the barriers that affect them:
The UN supported 11 OPDs in Lao PDR to submit their joint alternative report to the CRPD and enabled their participation in an independent briefing for the Committee in Geneva in August 2022 This was the first-ever CSO-led report to the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies.
The UN Country Team (UNCT) submitted a joint UNCT report to the CRPD; 95 per cent of the recommendations proposed in the UNCT Joint Parallel Report, and OPDs Parallel Report, were incorporated in the CRPD Concluding Observations.
The UN supported the Lao PDR National Delegation to collect and analyze data on the situation of persons with disabilities for the constructive dialogue with the CRPD including through a series of cross-ministerial coordination meetings and a mock session led by the former CRPD Member, Mr. Monthian Buntan of Thailand.
Marking the International Day for Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December 2023, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres statement reads, “Truly sustainable development for persons with disabilities requires a laser-like focus on their needs and rights — not only as beneficiaries, but as active contributors across social, economic and political life. This means ensuring that persons with disabilities are at every decision-making table, in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”
In 2023, the UN is working towards implementation of the CRPD recommendations in Lao PDR:
The UN has supported the National Committee for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) to initiate seven consultations to develop a feasible and measurable CRPD National Action Plan (NAP) to implement the CRPD Concluding Observations in close partnership with OPDs.
The UN, in partnership with the Disability Service Center (DSC) and the Disability Mainstreaming Advisory Service (DMAS), conducted a research study on employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Lao PDR.
The UN has worked with two job centers and businesses to deepen their understanding of the business case of disability-inclusive employment and strengthen their capacity to reach, employ, and retain employees with disabilities.
The UN, in partnership with DMAS, provided tailor-made job readiness training and job placement support for 52 young job-seekers with different types of disabilities.
The UN has included OPDs in the preparation process for the 5th population and housing census, in order to improve the disaggregation of disability data and the training of enumerators.
The UN has supported the drafting of a new National Inclusive Education Strategy for Lao PDR, that aims to better integrate children with disabilities in the education sector. The UN further conducted research on inclusive education and school feeding in consultation with the Inclusive Education Promotion Centre and OPDs, resulting in a regional Guidance Note.
The UN is collaborating with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare to deliver a monthly disability cash transfer through the banking system to 428 households with 462 children living with disabilities to support the financial cost of caring for the child with disabilities in Xiengkhouang province. Additionally, assistive devices and technology would be provided to those in need to increase their access to social services and play.
The UN has supported the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, to establish a first-of-its-kind Counselling Room for Children with Disabilities and their Families. The facility is designed to provide essential services such as counselling, healthcare, assistive devices, and physical and mental therapy to children with disabilities and their families in Xiengkhouang and neighbouring provinces.
The UN has invested in developing an inclusive workplace and programming environment to ensure the participation and engagement of persons with disabilities. In close coordination with OPDs, the UN have developed localized disability inclusion action plans, trained staff in disability inclusion principles and practices and actively recruited persons with disabilities, providing reasonable accommodations to people of all abilities.
The UN actively participated in the Annual Disability Policy Dialogue to promote Disability Inclusion in the activities of line ministries and Development Partners across sectors, such as nutrition, governance, education, justice, economy, and protection of women and children.
The UN has enhanced its partnership network with OPDs – moving towards established agreements between local disability organizations, enshrining the principles of ‘nothing about us without us’ and advancing our joint capacities to address the barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from the full enjoyment of their rights.
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08 May 2023
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