Day: March 18, 2022

Ambassador Kham-In Khitchadeth presented on Mar 9 credentials to Director General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay to serve as Permanent Representative of the Lao PDR to UNESCO in Paris, France.

The Lao ambassador expressed gratitude to UNESCO for its provision of assistance to the Lao PDR over the past years especially in the fields of education, science, culture and the inscription of well-known sites in the Lao PDR on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

He proposed UNESCO works with the Lao PDR to promote green tourism and the inscription of Hin Nam Noh, a limestone region in Laos, as a UNESCO World Heritage.

Both sides also discussed cooperation directions for years to come.

The UNESCO Director General appreciated the Lao Ambassador upon his appointment to the post and briefed him about priority projects UNESCO is implementing and its assistance to the Lao PDR including the protection and management of Word Heritage town Luang Prabang as well as the inscription of Khene music as an intangible world heritage in 2017.

She also introduced UNESCO initiatives designed to provide communities an access to sustainable employment and asked the Lao PDR to work with UNESCO to promote such efforts.

She also assured the ambassador that UNESCO will review the progress of the application of Hin Nam Noh and other projects proposed by the Lao government for World Heritage status.

Source: Lao News Agency

The Lao PDR is currently in the process of finalizing its LDC Smooth Graduation Strategy, making poverty alleviation a top priority in its national agenda in line with its national socio-economic development plans and the international Sustainable Development Goals.

At the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Lao PDR to the United Nations Anouparb Vongnorkeo reaffirmed the Lao PDR’s commitment to graduate from LDC status in the near future.

He expressed the Lao PDR’s sincere gratitude to all stakeholders for their important contributions which have led to the adoption of this momentous Programme of Action. He further reiterated that graduation from LDC status is not an end goal.

“It is of critical importance that quality and sustainable development must be ensured so that the graduating country will not slip back to LDC status after graduation. In this context, continued support and assistance from the international community, UN system, international financial institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector remain critical,” said the ambassador.

The UN General Assembly convened on Mar 17 the 1st Part of the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) under the presidency of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar.

At the opening session, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and President of Malawi and Chair of LDC group Lazarus Chakwera also addressed the meeting.

The meeting later adopted the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs (DPoA) for a decade of 2022-2031 focusing on six priority areas including: investing in people in least developed countries: eradicating poverty and building capacity to leave no one behind; leveraging the power of science, technology, and innovation to fight against multidimensional vulnerabilities and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; and supporting structural transformation as a driver of prosperity.

The priorities also include enhancing international trade of least developed countries and regional integration; addressing climate change, environmental degradation, recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and building resilience against future shocks for risk-informed sustainable development; and mobilizing international solidarity, reinvigorated global partnerships and innovative tools and instruments: a march towards sustainable graduation.

Source: Lao News Agency