Following one year of implementation, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and UNDP held a country programme review meeting in Vientiane on Mar 2.
The meeting highlighted the main results of the implementation so far and identified challenges and lessons learned.
Chaired by Vice Minister of Planning and Investment Phonevanh Outhavong, the meeting was attended by more than 100 participants both in-person and online representing various stakeholders and the partners from the government, development partners, non-profit associations, international non-governmental organizations, and other UN agencies.
Ms. Phonevanh Outhavong stated, ‘This annual review meeting is crucial considering 2022, the first year of implementation of the country programme. This meeting provides an opportunity for us to discuss and exchange knowledge on the project implementation, especially the challenges and what we have learned so far in the past year’.
Ms Ricarda Rieger stressed that ‘UNDP’s comparative advantage lies in capacity development to address an ever-increasing complex world, need for flexibility amidst the increasing complexity of development challenges. Adaptability, fast adjustment will be required to overcome adversities’.
UNDP in Laos focuses on three strategic development areas, such as inclusive prosperity, environment, climate change and resilience, and governance and Rule of Law.
In 2022 UNDP published its flagship report, the 6th National Human Development Report (NHDR) focusing on ‘youth as Drivers for sustainable Development. UNDP has partnered with other UN entities to support government on the formulation of the first ever financing Strategy of the 9th National Socio-economic Development Plan (NSEDP). Together with UXO Lao, UNDP has cleared 479 ha of high priority areas clearing contaminated lands for more productive use.
UNDP’s financial and technical support has resulted in reforestation of approximately 11,000 ha of land, investment checklist, one-stop service and 8 investment profiles being developed to attract quality investment and 12,000 villages being involved in the co-management of natural resources.
Standard operating procedures (SOP) for the justice Sector to end violence against women (EVAW) were developed in a highly consultative manner, taking Lao realities into consideration. In 2022 UNDP also assisted eleven organizations of persons with disabilities (PwD) in drafting the first-ever Parallel Report and Action Plan under the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) collecting lived experiences providing 78 concrete recommendations to the UN CRPD committee.
The first year of the implementation has also generated lessons learned. The government and UNDP are committed to taking the lesson into account while continuing the implementation to achieve the development goals set under Country Programme Document 2022-2026.
Following the event, the results of the meeting will be presented to the Prime Minister and be fed into the implementation guidance of the 9th NSEDP and 2030 Agenda effectively.
Source: Lao News Agency