UNICEF Representative to the Lao PDR Pia Rebello Britto on March 24 paid a courtesy visit to Minister of Planning and Investment Khamjane Vongphosy.
During the meeting, Dr. Pia Rebello Britto congratulated Dr. Khamjane Vongphosy on his new appointment and the Government of the Lao PDR in successfully articulating the country’s vision for the next five years in the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan.
The two parties discussed their key achievements in 2021, including UNICEF’s technical support to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) as well as UNICEF’s role in the containment of COVID-19 in the Lao PDR, which included vaccine procurement and roll out, strengthening cold chain capacity and logistics, and development of a digital teaching and learning platform to address the impact of the pandemic on education.
“I would like to express my sincerest thanks to UNICEF for their support. We highly value the achievements that we have made through the partnership between the Government of the Lao PDR and UNICEF throughout the years, and your support is key in ensuring the well-being of all Lao children. The Government of the Lao PDR looks forward to strengthening our partnership with UNICEF for the future benefit of every child in the country and to addressing the various issues that children in the Lao PDR face,” stated Dr. Khamjane Vongphosy.
They also discussed future areas of cooperation, including strengthening research and evidence generation for improved policy-making, addressing the learning crisis, implementation of social protection initiatives as well as the Government of the Lao PDR and UNICEF Country Programme Document 2022-2026 (CPD), which was launched in October 2021 and articulates a vision and achievable goals for Lao children in the next five years.
“UNICEF keenly looks forward to continue working closely with the Government of the Lao PDR and all partners on the implementation of the new CPD as we strive together to ensure the realization of the rights of all children in the Lao PDR,” stated UNICEF Representative to the Lao PDR Pia Rebello Britto.
Source: Lao News Agency