In partnership with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, UNDP launched its new Country Programme Document (CPD) for the period of 2022 – 2026 in Vientiane on Mar 2.
The new UNDP CPD is the result of intensive consultations with the Government counterparts and other stakeholders as it strives to support the implementation of the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP).
The document, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), support the Government of the Lao PDR to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure that no one is left behind.
Co-chaired by Vice Minister of Planning and Investment Sthabandith Insisienmay, and Resident Representative of UNDP in tahe Lao PDR Ricarda Rieger, the event saw the participation of high-level government officials of key partnering ministries and national institutions, as well as development partners, CSOs and private sector.
During the workshop, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in the Lao PDR Catherine Phuong outlined the achievements of UNDP in the Lao PDR during the past five years.
She highlighted UNDP’s support to the Government of the Lao PDR to develop the 9th NSEDP and organize the successive roundtable meetings.
She also focused on UNDP’s support to the UXO sector and to the Government’s efforts in the areas of governance, rule of law, gender, natural resources management and so on. For instance, she recalled that UNDP helped to set up the National Eld’s Deer Sanctuary in Savannakhet, which resulted in the doubling of the population of this endangered species.
UNDP’s new five-year strategy focuses on three strategic development areas, namely inclusive prosperity; environment, climate change, and resilience; and governance and rule of law. Through its new programme, UNDP will seek to ensure that by 2026, the people, especially the most marginalized, living in the Lao PDR, benefit from sustainable and inclusive growth, and become increasingly resilient to the risks of climate change, the shock of natural disasters, and the unexploded ordnance, while state institutions have their capacities strengthened and be more inclusive for the people.
Ms. Ricarda Rieger emphasized, “We are keen to improve the quality of our technical support in all these areas and focus on greater impact. UNDP will also focus more on innovation and digitalization in our new programme.”
For more than four decades, UNDP has been a key development partner for the Government of Laos. In the workshop, it reiterated its commitment to support the Government in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the Lao PDR.
Source: Lao News Agency