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 commitment 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.

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Read a story about how GPAR benefits people's lives in Lao PDR

A Lao Government delegation is in New York this week to attend the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS from 8-10 June. The Minister of Health, Dr Dalaloy Ponmek, heads the Lao representatives who join the President of the UN General Assembly, Joseph Deiss, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 30 Heads of State, and representatives from international organizations, civil society and people living with HIV at the meeting.

Thirty years into the AIDS epidemic and 10 years since the historic UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, the world comes together to review progress and chart the future course of the global AIDS response. World leaders are expected to negotiate a new global declaration on AIDS and to commit to overcoming the remaining barriers to ensure ‘Universal Access’ to HIV services.

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Photo: UNAIDS Coordinator, Pascal Stenier and Dr Dalaloy Ponmek, Minister of Health

Courtesy of Ministry of Health Lao PDR

Lao PDR's forests play a vital role in contributing to economic development, supporting the livelihoods of the people and in providing environmental services. But forest cover has declined from about 70% a few decades ago to around 40%. Forest quality has also deteriorated, with dense forest decreasing from 29% in 1992 to 8.2% in 2005. UNDP in Lao PDR is supporting the Government to achieve its goal of increasing forest coverage back to 70% by 2020 and improving the quality of existing forested areas.

Read UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's message

The United Nations in Lao PDR award for Best Young Filmmaker at the second Vientianale International Film Festival was presented to 23-year old Thanavorakit Kounthawatphinyo at the awards ceremony on Sunday 15th May. The $100 prize and certificate was handed over by the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Minh Pham, at the National Cultural Hall.

Also present at the ceremony were Mr Bounchao Phichit, the Director of Cinema, from the Ministry of Information and Culture, and the Charge d’Affaires of the German Embassy, Mr Wolfgang Joachim Thoran.

Speaking at the event, Mr Pham explained that the award for Best Young Filmmaker is particularly relevant as this year is the International Year of Youth. “Young people across the world are a major human resource for development, positive social change and technological innovation. Their contributions to community, national, regional and global development should be recognized and encouraged,” he said.

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Watch the winning film here

Photo: UNLaoPDR/Marion Le Roux

At a meeting with the Prime Minister of Lao PDR, Thongsing Thammavong, on the 14th May, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Minh Pham, stressed the United Nations continued support to the Government of Lao PDR. Mr Thammavong highlighted the commitment of the Government of Lao PDR in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but also stressed the importance of further technical and financial assistance to ensure the goals will be met.

“We count on the UN to align all their support towards the national development goals and priorities, and provide assistance where it is most needed,” said Mr Thammavong. “The UN stands ready to assist the country in working towards the valuable goals of the 7th National Socio Economic Development Plan (NSEDP), including the achievement of MDGs by 2015 and preparing the ground for graduating from Least Developed Country status by 2020,” stated Mr Pham.

The UN in Lao PDR is currently finalizing the new United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for the years 2012 – 2015. The UNDAF is the strategic planning document of the UN to support the Government’s 7th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and help achieve the MDGs by 2015.
 

United Nations Resident Coordinator (RC) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative (RR), Mr Minh Pham, presented his credentials to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Dr Thongloun Sisoulith, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. Mr Pham congratulated His Excellency on the Lao Government’s work and the country’s progress in development. The UN Resident Coordinator went on to pledge the continued support by the United Nations in achieving the 7th National Social Economic Development Plan (NSEDP).

Mr Pham emphasized the importance of accelerating the efforts to support the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the Lao PDR. Furthermore, he reaffirmed his commitment towards strengthening UN system-wide coherence to deliver as one to better support the aid effectiveness agenda in the country.

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At the National University of Laos representatives from Government, United Nations and organizations working in the UXO sector gathered to mark the 2011 International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. This was the first significant gathering for those in the Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) sector since the First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions held in Vientiane in November last year.

This year’s event took place in the shadow of another recent tragic UXO accident. Speaking at the opening of the event, Ms Kyoko Yokosuka, UNDP Resident Representative (a.i.) told the story of 28-year old mother of two, Mrs Khamkong, who was seriously injured by a UXO set off by a stove that was warming up. Her family savings had to be used for her treatment and some members of her community have also donated their own savings.

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