19 October, at the UN Day evening function

Remarks by Madame Helen Clark, UN Development Group Chair

"With the strong support of the Government of the Lao PDR, our UN Country Team is working to deliver in a more co-ordinated way, to make us a better development partner. 

A strong UN Country Team is important as nations endeavor to address the fallout from the global recession, the impacts of climate change, the lingering effects of the food and fuel crises, and the spread of deadly diseases. The impact of these global challenges threaten development progress, and are felt acutely by the poorest and most vulnerable, people who did the least to cause them."

Read full remarks of Madame Helen Clark 

Read full remarks of Madame Sonam Yangchen Rana, UN Resident Coordinator of Lao PDR (PDF, 23.72 kb)

In the world’s most cluster bombed country the continued presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO) poses serious humanitarian challenges.  On average 300 people a year are killed or injured in UXO accidents. Their presence is also an impediment to poverty reduction. They prevent access to agricultural land and require additional resources for land clearance before any development can take place. UXO clearance is a precondition for the development of the nation and its attempts to graduate from Least Developed Country status by 2020. Read more

Speech on Special Event on Convention on Cluster Munitions Advance Mission for the First Meeting of States Parties (1MSP) to the CCM by UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Ms Sonam Yangchen Rana English

Read more

On October the 14 th 2009, experts from around the region shared experiences and knowledge with the Government of the Lao PDR during a national workshop on Managing Climate, Environment and Natural Resources to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Exit Least-Developed Country (LDC) status, supported by the UNDP/UNEP Poverty Environment Initiative (PEI).

he challenges confronting Lao PDR related to the environment and climate change are diverse and will significantly impact the achievement of the Government goals to exit LDC status by 2020. For this reason, it is of critical importance that these issues be considered in more detail, ensuring that lessons and knowledge from around the region are shared with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and reflected upon in the 7th Plan. Read more

Oneyear ago, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moonlaunched a global campaign to end violence against women and girls.Strongly linked to the Millennium Development Goals, the campaign willcontinue until 2015.

On the occassion of International Women's Day 2009 people around the world must come together to reaffirm their commitment to this common goal.

Read more

An estimated 500 people dropped by and sampled wild forest foods such as beetles, crickets and frogs at the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) booth at the Lao and International Food Festival in February in Vientiane. FAO promoted wild forest foods as an important part of a traditional Lao diet at the Food Festival. The FAO food circle contained wild forest foods as a source for calcium, fruit, vegetables, protein, and fat. Read more.