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The United Nations Development Programme is the main body for coordinating the UN’s development work. Its global reach and management of more than US$ 4 billion (2005) annually makes it the largest provider of development grant assistance in the UN system. 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 administers special funds and programmes, including:
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Lao PDR
UNDP Global Newsroom 
Country Map 