Lao PDR

UNDP News

New UNDP project to take Round Table process to next level

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs with UNDP met their development partners and key line ministries today (Friday, July 13) to sign an agreement launching the project, “Enriching the Round Table Process for Increased Aid Effectiveness and Development Results”. This agreement represents the latest phase of UNDP's continuing support of the Round Table (RT) process.

The project aims to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of the RT process by improving Department of International Cooperation officials' capacity to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Vientiane Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. The project will also work to strengthen the role played by sector working groups in RT meetings facilitate substantive dialogue between the Government of the Lao PDR and their Partners in Development on key development issues. The total budget required for the project is US$ 2,584,850.

H.E. Mr Phongsavath Boupha, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vice-Minister, and Ms Sonam Yangchen Rana, UN Development Program Resident Representative, signed the document agreeing to work together on the project.

Ms Rana stressed the importance of new project to the ongoing RT process.

“This next phase of support builds on the RT Process's recent advances in aid coordination and the discussions between the Lao PDR Government and development stakeholders,” Ms Rana said.

“It is also essential to our efforts to achieve the goals set out in the County Action Plan of the Vientiane Declaration and the National Socio-Economic Development Plan which are the main vehicle for making progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.”

The Round Table Meetings, held every three years, are the highest level of donor coordination between the Lao PDR Government and its international development partners.

It is a government-led process set up to discuss development issues relating to international aid, share knowledge and ideas to advance development, establish and address national priorities and strengthen collaboration to implement the National Socio-Economic Development Plan.

Aside from the main meetings, there is also a series of Round Table related meetings and consultations that occur each year.

The 9 th Round Rable Meeting was held in November last year and was attended by the Lao PDR Government, the UN Country Team, representatives from 36 countries, four international finance institutions including major donor the Asian Development Bank, the European Commission, and 22 international NGOs and private sector.

For more information: please contact Ms. Cathy Williams or Ms. Soukphaphone Thongsavanh at the Public Information Office

+ (856 21) 213390-5 ext. 187 or 210, cathy.williams@undp.org , soukphaphone.thongsavanh@undp.org

Notes for editors:

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.