Lao PDR

Dr. Phankham Viphavanh, Minister of Education and Sport, and Mme. Bounpheng Mounphoxay, Minister to PMO and Chairperson to PACSA, host the meeting

At a meeting in Vientiane the Government of Lao PDR reaffirmed their support to the Governance and Public Administration Reform (GPAR) Programme to strengthen human resource development and improve governance and management systems. This was backed up with a Government committment of $8 million to the estimated $44 million cost of the new programme, 2012 - 2015.Government representatives called on development partners to align their support to Lao PDR with the new national GPAR Programme.

The event was hosted by Mme. Bounpheng Mounphoxay, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and Public Administration and Civil Service Authority (PACSA). In attendance were representatives from the National Assembly, Government Ministries and development partners.

Dr. Phankham Viphavanh, Minister of Education, who was a guest speaker at the event said, “When I look back at the series of GPAR projects that were set up at the Prime Minister's Office and in the provinces from 2001, I am very encouraged by the results they have achieved.” He added, “GPAR was envisaged to be a broad platform driving a wide range of reforms, reflecting the deep understanding of the inter-related nature of steps required to build a modern state and to ensure optimal relationships and interaction between state and society.”

Human resource development to upgrade the competence of officials at national and sub-national levels to improve management, governance regulations and systems, is vital to accelerate human and economic development in Lao PDR. Mme. Bounpheng Mounphoxay said that, “ It is not enough if the competencies of a thousand civil servants in Vientiane are improved - we need effective systems and administrations even more in the provinces and districts, to better serve all Lao people and eliminate poverty.”

The meeting also discussed the establishment of national Leading Committees for Governance Reform to guide and support the implementation of the new national GPAR programme.

The forum highlighted the political significance of the GPAR Programme and its importance for the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Breakthrough Strategy that was adopted at the recent 9th Party Congress. The GPAR Programme and the Strategic Plan on Governance 2011 – 2015 will play a major role in achieving these breakthroughs and the goals of the 7th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP). At the same time GPAR will further the Government's efforts in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and in graduating from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2020.

Read a story about how GPAR benefits the lives of people in Lao PDR

For more information please contact:

Toby Fricker at UNDP Public Information Unit

Tel: 020 5462 2697 Email: toby.fricker@undp.org