Lao PDR

About UNDP

The United Nations Development Programme is the main body for coordinating the UN's development work.

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 177 countries and territories .

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 works to ensure that all people in Lao PDR benefit from national development . We support growth which creates more and better economic and social opportunities, and which results in benefits for all, without harming the environment. We also promote peace and security as a critical element of this pattern of development.

In particular, we are assisting Lao PDR with two critical transitions: (1) to a market economy that gives people the power of choice and (2) to becoming a middle-income country by 2020. We serve as a trusted partner and advisor to the Government. As a result of our integrity and neutrality, we also help to bring together all parties interested in national development: Government, international development partners, the people, businesses, and the media. Our focus is on:

•  Fighting poverty

•  Promoting effective governance

•  Ensuring sustainable management of natural resources and adaptation to climate change

•  Reducing the impact of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) remaining from the Indo-China War

Our high-impact, low-cost efforts also enable women to have more voice and choice and strengthen skills of Lao people to deliver development results. All this supports the country 's 7th National Socio-Economic DPlan 2011-2015, which has the principal objective of achieving growth that improves the lives of those in every part of society.

Our assistance is outlined in our Country Programme 2012-2015 that is approved and signed by the Government. During this period, UNDP has adopted a target of US$70.5 million to deliver our expected results.