Lao PDR

Dr. Suresh Balakrishnan presented the Mid-Term Review findings, including the suggestions to giving greater support to gender equity. Photo: UNDP Lao PDR/Phoutsavong Phatsouda

Lao PDR's economic growth is at 8 % annually, poverty has been brought down to 27 % of the population, per capita GDP exceeds the target of USD 700 and foreign direct investments are growing rapidly.

These are just some of the successses addressed in the Mid-Term Review of the UNDP Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) 2007-2011 for Lao PDR, presented and discussed on 18 June in Vientiane. Representatives of the Government, several UN agencies, ministries, project managers and development partners went through successful achievements do far, areas of further action and priority actions for 2010-2011.

Among the key results are e.g. new legislation on associations and civil society, improved awareness of international law and compliance, 6800 hectares of UXO cleared land, establishing Poverty-Environment Initiative and Government ownership and capacities for planning and implementation, aid coordination and disaster management.

"We know what needs to be done, but we need to think how we do it", emphasized Ms Sonam Yangchen Rana, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in her opening remarks. 

Key suggestions for the remaining CPAP period include e.g. bringing more focus on MDGs into CPAP projects, giving greater support for gender equity and mainstreaming, and expanding civil society related initiatives. Project management capacity should be strengthened, as of the capacity of administration.

CPAP includes 9 more strategic goals, outcomes, and 26 more concrete results, outputs. Originally, the CPAP had a budget of approximately USD 55 million, but with current plans and prospects, available resources rise up to USD 75 million by the end of 2011. More has been achieved than was initially envisaged, but more needs to be done.

Dr. Bounthavy Sisouphanthong, Vice-Minister, Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ms Sonam Yangchen Rana, UN Resident Coordinator at the UNDP Country Programme Action Plan Mid-Term Review Meeting

Achieving MDGs is a central priority of the UNDP as well as the Government, as highlighted by H.E. Dr. Bounthavy Sisouphanthong, Vice-Minister of Planning and Investment in his opening remarks. The report notes that the country is making strong progress on school enrollment and child mortality, but more focus is needed on malnutrition, safe water and gender.

“From 2007-2009, a total of 42 million US dollars were spent by the UNDP-supported projects to contribute to the 9 outcomes of the CPAP. The expenditure has been increasing year by year (12.6m in 2007, 13.4m in 2008 and 16.1m in 2009). During the same period, 33 million US dollars was mobilized through the cost-sharing agreements with the donors. Both the expenditures and resources mobilized exceeded the original targets for this period”, Dr. Bounthavy said.

Looking ahead to the future programme from 2012 onwards, the Director General of Department of International Cooperation, Mr. Somchith Inthamith concluded that achieving the MDGs, which are central to the 7th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP), will require strong national capacity in terms of development planning, resource mobilization, implementation and monitoring, and strong Government ability to coordinate both domestic and Development Partners' funding. Therefore, he requested UNDP to support the country in implementing the 7th NSEDP, strengthening aid effectiveness and the Round Table Process and enhancement of the data collection, analysis capacity and statistical system.

The CPAP report suggests that the UNDP could perhaps focus its effort in the next Country Programme to four broad components: NSEDP support, crisis prevention & recovery (including UXO), governance and environment.

Remarks by Ms Sonam Yangchen Rana, UN Resident Coordinator on UNDP Country Programme Action Plan Mid-Term Review Meeting