UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.
On the Ground in Lao PDR
UNDP Country Office in the Lao PDR offers support to the Lao PDR Government within the context of both the common UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Government's National Socio-economic Development Plan (NSEDP),
with the aim of increasing
human development. UNDP is committed to support 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 133rd out of 182 countries, classified in the "Medium Human Development" category.
05 August 2010 - Overcoming Development Barriers: Germany commits funds to UXO Lao operations in the northern province of Luang Prabang
In the world's most cluster bombed country the continued presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO) poses serious humanitarian challenges. On average 300 people a year are killed or injured in UXO accidents. Their presence is also an impediment to poverty reduction. They prevent access to agricultural land and require additional resources for land clearance before any development can take place. UXO clearance is a precondition for the development of the nation and its attempts to graduate from Least Developed Country status by 2020. Read more
01 August 2010 - Convention on Cluster Munitions Celebrated in Vientiane
Hundreds of people gathered together in Vientiane on Sunday morning, 1 August, to celebrate the entry into force of the historic Convention on Cluster Munitions. The celebrations started with giving alms to the monks at 7am, and after that, trucks full of drummers driving around town, beating the drum to ban cluster munitions. The celebration took place at the International Cooperation and Training Center (ICTC), where the trucks also arrived at 8am. Read more
30 July 2010 - Landmark Convention on Cluster Munitions Enters into Force
A historic achievement in disarmament, the Convention on Cluster Munitions, will enter into force on 1 August 2010. The treaty provides a legal framework for ending cluster munitions' unacceptable harm to civilians, many of whom live in developing countries. Thirty-seven states have so far ratified the convention, and 107 countries are signatories. Read more
28 July 2010 - Launch of the 4th National Human Development Report: Putting
People at the Centre of Development
The Government of Lao PDR (Department of Statistics) and UNDP released today the National Human Development report on the theme of Employment and Livelihoods. The report provides a set of recommendations on how to improve the human development in Lao PDR through employment. This is the fourth in a series of national reports. Read more
7 July 2010 - First States Parties Meeting launched together with the Cluster Munitions Trust Fund
The presence and scale of UXO pose humanitarian challenges and are an impediment to poverty reduction and development in the Lao PDR.
On July 7th the Government of Lao PDR organised a launching for the upcoming First States Parties Meeting (1MSP) of the Cluster Munitions Convention (CCM). The launch was an official start for the November meeting, which is so far the largest international meeting ever organised in Lao PDR. With this event, the Government and UNDP also officially launched the Cluster Munitions Trust Fund, to encourage strong support for the Convention and the 1MSP. Read more
30 June 2010 -
Overcoming development Barriers: France strengthens support
to reducing the risk of cluster munitions in the Lao PDR
France signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Oslo on 3
December 2008, and was the twentieth country to ratify the
Convention on 25 September 2009. After the ratification,
France has been setting out to implement the Oslo Convention
by adopting corresponding national legislation and making
efforts to achieve wide international support for the
Convention. Read
more
22 June 2010 - Poverty-Environment Initiative: Regional Lesson Learning workshop: Changing Public and Private Investments for Pro-poor Environment and Climate Outcomes
On the 23 and 24 of June, the UNDP and UNEP is jointly organizing a Poverty-Environment Initiative regional workshop on lessons learnt on Changing Public and Private investments for pro-poor environment and climate outcome in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The workshop is intended to be a forum that will gather policymakers and senior public officials of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Lao PDR, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam and international organizations to discuss at length the challenges of poverty reduction and natural resources management. Read more
18 June 2010 - Mid-Term Review:
focusing on strong, strategic and catalytic impact
Many participants discussed the
successful achievements, areas of further action and priority
actions for 2010-2011 of the UNDP Country Programme Action
Plan (CPAP) for years 2007 - 2011 in the Mid-Term Review
presented in Vientiane.
Read more
18 June 2010 - UNDP International
Assessment says the MDGs can be achieved
A new UNDP report, based on evidence from 50 countries,
including Lao PDR , concludes that the Millennium
Development Goals can be achieved and highlights an
eight-point action agenda to accelerate and sustain
development progress over the next five years. With the
September 20 th to 22 nd MDG special review Summit in New
York approaching, the report, titled What Will It Take To
Achieve The Millennium Development Goals? An International
Assessment,' is part of a concrete action agenda that will
form the outcome for World Leaders.
Read more
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