Opening Remarks at Handover Ceremony

Excellency Provincial Governor, Mme Daovone Saysouliane, 

Excellency Vice Minister, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Soulivath Souvannachoumkham, 

Ms. Kazuko Ishigaki, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UN-Habitat 

Distinguished District Governors, Representatives at the national, provincial and district level, Colleagues from UN-Habitat, Ladies and gentlemen, 

Sabaidee. 

It is a real pleasure to be back here in Savannakhet today. When I last visited this project site, I remember saying that I hoped to return the handover. I had been impressed not only by the ambition of the project, but also by the way it was delivered. I am therefore very glad to have the opportunity to return today and see the results of that work. 

I am very pleased that we are marking the handover of the interventions in both Sayphouthong and Sethamouak. These locations show how practical solutions on the ground can make a meaningful difference to communities while also contributing to broader development goals. 

Development is often discussed in terms of strategies, policies, and frameworks. But ultimately, development becomes real when it reaches the community level. It is in places like this, where infrastructure, planning, and local participation come together, that we can see the real impact of our collective efforts. 

Projects like this remind us that progress rarely happens in isolation. It is built through partnership. What we see here today is not simply infrastructure being handed over. It is the result of cooperation between national institutions, provincial and district authorities, development partners, and communities themselves. When these different levels work together, development becomes more resilient, more inclusive, and more sustainable. 

For the United Nations, this spirit of partnership is central to how we work in Lao PDR. Through the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, the UN agencies, funds and programmes bring together their respective expertise to support the country’s development priorities. No single agency can address complex challenges alone. But by working together, we are able to support more integrated and effective solutions. 

This project is a very good example of the kind of partnership we aim to build in Lao PDR, working together with national and local authorities to turn development priorities into real progress for communities. In particular, the work carried out here aligns closely with Pillar 4 of the Cooperation Framework, which focuses on Environment, climate change, and resilience. 

At the same time, these efforts support the priorities of Lao PDR’s 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan., which places strong emphasis on improving infrastructure, strengthening resilience, and ensuring that development benefits communities across the country. 

In many ways, resilience is not built in a single project or a single investment. It is built step by step - through planning, through cooperation, and through the steady strengthening of institutions and communities. 

Today’s handover represents one such step forward. 

As the United Nations, we remain committed to supporting Lao PDR in advancing sustainable and resilient development. Partnerships like the one we celebrate today will continue to be essential as the country moves forward on its development path. 

Let me therefore express my sincere appreciation to the Government of Lao PDR, the provincial and district authorities, UN-Habitat, and the communities themselves for their dedication and collaboration in making this project possible.

I look forward to seeing how these efforts continue to strengthen communities here in Savannakhet in the years ahead. Khop Chai!