Lao PDR

Mr. Minh H. Pham, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, with H.E. Mr. Thongloun Sisoulith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and H.E. Mr Somdy Douangdy, Minister of Planning and Investment, at the Round Table Implementation Meeting 2011. Photo Credit: UNDPLaoPDR/Laophoto

H.E. Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong on Wednesday congratulated international Heads of Delegations on the successful outcome of the Round Table Implementation Meeting 2011 (RTIM).

“I would like to congratulate the participants of this year's Round Table Implementation Meeting for their excellent contributions and cooperation to improve development efforts in Lao PDR,” said the Prime Minister. “I would also like to thank all Development Partners for their continued support to Lao PDR and their ongoing commitment to the Round Table Process.”

During a 30-minute debriefing with the Prime Minister, 14 key development partners provided an overview of results of the RTIM, which provided what they termed a “challenging but very positive agenda over the coming year.” In doing so, they highlighted issues of good governance, effective public financial management, environmental and natural resource management, private sector development and quality Foreign Direct Investment, and human resource development.

They also noted that an innovative interactive format used for this annual meeting in the Round Table Process facilitated coordination and served as the basis for a “very productive exchange of ideas” with Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

The RTIM, held in Vientiane on 22 November, focused on successes in the first year of implementation of the 7 th National Socio Economic Development Plan. It also closely examined ways for Lao PDR to accelerate progress toward three off-track Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, as well as to achieve graduation from Least Developed Country status by 2020.

To tackle these off-track MDGs – food poverty, nutrition, maternal health, and education – the Government and development partners alike stressed the need for additional resources for the health and education sectors. They promoted the idea of an integrated package of services, using low-cost solutions and involving communities, while also stressing the importance of more investment and support for achieving the MDGs at district and village levels.

RTIM participants further pledged to strengthen coordination on complex multi-sectoral issues such as nutrition, land and climate change, as well as on crosscutting issues of development cooperation such as capacity development and information sharing.

Development partners at Wednesday's session with the Prime Minister included the United Nations, Asian Development Bank, Australia, China, European Commission, France, Germany, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland and World Bank. They were led by H.E. Mr. Somdy Douangdy, Minister of Planning and Investment and Chair of the RTIM, and H.E. Mr. Minh H. Pham, United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative. Mr. Pham served as Co-Chair of the RTIM.

The RTIM was attended by 360 participants, senior Government officials, Ambassadors and senior dignitaries from 27 countries, and representatives of 20 international financial institutions and international organizations. In closing remarks at the meeting, Minister Somdy pledged that the Government “will continue to stay focused” to achieve progress over the next four years of the 7 th NSEDP.

Lao PDR has participated since 1983 in the Round Table Process, which is implemented by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Department of International Cooperation, and supported by UNDP. The Process comprises Round Table Meetings every three years to review plans, strategies and programmes and commit funding pledges, while RTIM meetings review achievements and recommend further actions. The last full Round Table Meeting was held in 2010.

ENDS.

For more information, contact:

Ministry of Planning and Investment

Department of International Cooperation

UN Division

Phone: (21) 222214

Mobile: (20) 55629899

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.