Remarks at IFAD-Laos Country Portfolio Review Workshop

H.E. Dr. Chanthakhone Boualaphanh, Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Forestry

Mr. Ambrosio Barros, IFAD Country Director for Lao PDR

Representatives from the Government

Development partners

Ladies and gentlemen –

I am very pleased to join today’s Country Portfolio Review Meeting jointly organized by IFAD and the Government of Lao PDR. I am delighted to note the participation of government line ministries; project management teams at central, provincial and district levels; and key country development partners to discuss the results and impact of IFAD’s work in the country.

A UN agency and a financial institution, IFAD has a long-term partnership with the Government of Lao PDR dating back to 1978. IFAD’s work in Laos has focused on transforming the smallholder agriculture sector from subsistence to a business-oriented direction; supporting agricultural technologies; improving nutrition, especially for women and children; building resilience to climate change; and developing pro-poor value chains with market linkages. IFAD has undertaken these efforts through joint design and implementation, in partnership with multilateral and bilateral partners, such as the WFP, FAO, ADB, World Bank, GIZ and others.

IFAD-funded programmes have contributed to several Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goals 1, 2 and 5. These programmes support the current 9th NSEDP; the national agriculture development strategy to 2025 and vision to 2030; the national nutrition strategy and action plan; and the national pathways to transforming Food Systems. Viewed as an SDG transition that can accelerate progress across multiple SDGs, the work on food systems transformation is especially critical moving forward.

Even with these achievements, there are several critical areas remaining for continued support and partnerships. This year is an important year for the country, during which priorities for the 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan will be defined, covering an implementation period through to the 2030 deadline for the SDGs.

Lao PDR is moving towards the anticipated date for LDC graduation, with the UN Committee for Development Policy recently confirming that the country continues to meet the readiness criteria, but also flagging the need for actions to ensure graduation is successful. With the national Smooth Transition Strategy endorsed, we are shifting gears to full implementation and monitoring of efforts to complete the planned actions and make full use of the time until graduation.

Critical among those is addressing the economic and financial difficulties facing the country and, in the context of today’s event, the quality of growth. This involves improving the investment climate, encouraging diversification of production, creating more job opportunities, boosting public investment, fairly distributing social benefits, and managing the trend of outward migration.

Linked to IFAD-funded projects in Laos, whilst taking steps to address these difficulties, we must also ensure compatibility with environmental objectives. Climate change effects are felt in many ways, including in agricultural production, biodiversity preservation, energy generation, and livelihoods dependent on land, water and forests. The country is blessed with rich natural resources that can play an invaluable role in supporting national development. However, protecting and nurturing these resources requires integrating environmental considerations into how core economic decisions are made, and how different types of investments are promoted. Addressing these challenges is crucial for fostering sustainable development and ensuring a resilient future for communities and the environment they live in.

Development of the 10th NSEDP is a crucial opportunity to build upon the 9th Plan, including the Financing Strategy, by integrating the resources available to implement priorities from the start, and to ensure public sector programs are backed by viable financing strategies. There is a strong link and continuity of solutions for the current and future NSEDP cycles.

Development partners, including IFAD and the broader UN family, are committed to supporting the formulation of the 10th Plan and its Financing Strategy, including a clear roadmap for its development that makes full use of the available support and solutions. Related to this, we also need to continually strengthen the Sector Working Group structure to promote effective development cooperation and a closer alignment of programmes to national plans.

IFAD is an important partner of the Government and communities in these efforts. The work on food systems transformation is particularly pivotal in Lao PDR, and I’m pleased to see the Rome-based UN agencies – IFAD, FAO and WFP – closely coordinating with each other as well as other partners.

On behalf of the UN Country Team, I would like to congratulate all participants on this joint exercise between the Government of Lao PDR, namely Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the IFAD, and country partners. Outcomes of the meeting will not only be essential for improved performance of the partnership programmes, but also to support national development agendas and objectives in Lao PDR.

Let me extend my best wishes to you all for good health and success in your important efforts.

Thank you.