Lao PDR

About UNDP

The United Nations Development Programme is the main body for coordinating the UN's development work. See UNDP resources according to the latest annual report.

UNDP provides policy advice and helps build institutional and human capacity that generates equitable growth. UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. It works with the public and private sector partners to make the best possible use of aid resources in confronting the challenges and opportunities offered by globalization. It is committed to promoting accountable governance at all levels of society and building coalitions for actions on issues critical to sustainable human development. An Executive Board, representing both developed and developing countries governs UNDP. 

As the leading advocate for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), UNDP helps bring countries and the international community together to take these efforts forward. Working with existing national plans and poverty reduction strategies, UNDP assists countries with formulating practical MDG strategies.

UNDP prepares the annual Human Development Report  that focuses the global debate on key development issues, providing new measurement tools, innovative analysis and often-controversial policy proposals. It is guided by the belief that development is ultimately a process of enlarging people’s choices, not just raising national incomes.

At the country level, UNDP provides support to publish National Human Development Reports.  More than 140 countries have now published NHDRs that have served to invigorate local policy debates.

In all activities, UNDP encourages the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women, and all activities are undertaken in close collaboration with the Government, sister UN agencies and other development stakeholders.

UNDP is working on the ground in 166 countries.

UNDP administers special funds and programmes, including:

• UN Women
• United Nations Volunteer Programme (UNV)
• United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

About UNDP Lao PDR

UNDP Country Office in the Lao PDR supports the Government within the context of both the common UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Government's National Socio-economic Development Plan (NSEDP). UNDP is committed to supporting the Government of Lao PDR to achieve the overarching national goal of lifting the country from the ranks of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by 2020. The country's performance as measured through UNDP's Global Human Development Index (HDI) has shown consistent improvement since 1993. Lao PDR is currently ranked 122nd out of 169 countries, classified in the "Medium Human Development" category.

During the period 2007 to 2009, UNDP has contributed a total of USD 40.8 million (estimated in December 2009) to the Lao PDR's development through policy advice and dialogue, capacity development, creation of an enabling environment, and knowledge building and sharing. Of this total, USD 15.9 million was contributed from UNDP's core resources, and USD 24.9 million was from resources mobilized by the donor community.

In 2009, UNDP delivered USD 16.3 million in development assistance, up from USD 13.8 million in 2008.

Please see Right now in Lao PDR leaflet for more information.

UNDP Lao PDR Focus Areas

UNDP focus is on helping Lao PDR build and share solutions to the challenges of poverty reduction, democratic governance, energy & environment, and crisis prevention and recovery. 

In each of these areas, UNDP advocates for the empowerment of women, focusing on gender mainstreaming within programmes.

Critical areas with crosscutting relevance and those requiring a multisectoral response, including response to HIV/AIDS, are addressed through tailored and multi-agency programmes.

Poverty Reduction
To ensure that all people benefit from economic growth in Lao PDR, UNDP offers strategic support towards poverty reduction and achievement of the MDGs. UNDP works through pro-poor planning mechanisms and harmonization of aid coordination in the Round Table Mechanism and promotes equitable economic growth and regional integration with a pro poor focus.  

Democratic Governance
UNDP is committed to supporting Government-led initiatives to ensure more efficient, accountable and transparent policies and practices to protect the rights of citizens, especially the poorest and most vulnerable.

Energy & Environment
UNDP is supporting sustainable use of the country's natural resources and bringing the environmental issues that affect poor people into the mainstream of development processes and decisions.

Crisis Prevention and Recovery
UNDP is assisting the Government in the development of strategic disaster management planning. UNDP supports the mobilization and coordination of assistance to the national Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) programme in order to address the major long-term humanitarian and development impacts of UXO on people across Lao PDR.