Lao PDR

Photo: UNDP Lao PDR/Silvia Jundt

To achieve sustainable development in Lao PDR the Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) supports the government to incorporate poverty-environment links into national and provincial development plans. At a recent Asia Pacific Regional Workshop of PEI in Hua Hin, Thailand, the PEI team shared their experiences and learnt from other country programmes from across the region.

Delegates from the Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment joined the PEI regional teams to exchange ideas on how best to integrate poverty-environment issues into development planning.

The Poverty-Environment Initiative in Lao PDR works to improve institutional capacity in the management of investments and helps to develop practical tools for managing investments. The overall goal is to ensure that private investments generate maximum benefits for local economies and that social and environmental safeguards are in place to minimize their impacts.

A film produced by the PEI Lao team for the workshop in Thailand was voted the best among all videos submitted by the Asia Pacific country programs.

The fast-growing economy of Lao PDR is driven by Foreign Direct Investments in the natural resource sectors. This growth has also placed pressure on natural ecosystems and led to a dramatic change in land use. This has clearly impacted the large majority of rural Lao people who depend on natural resources for their food and incomes. The challenge for Lao PDR is how to develop the country in a sustainable manner. The video makes a case for the role of quality investments in generating sustainable growth.

Watch the winning film produced by the PEI team in Lao PDR