ອົງການສະຫະປະຊາຊາດ ປະຈຳ ສປປ ລາວ
UNITED NATIONS IN LAO PDR
SETTING GOALS
FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT Goals can only be achieved if we set our hearts and minds on making a change. The bigger the goal, the more resolute and steadfast we must be in our desire to follow through. When the ambition is as extensive as the Sustainable Development Goals – a set of 17 global goals to shift the planet on a path towards a better future for everyone – we must remain determined to work together and make sustainable development our shared purpose. The Government of Lao PDR has signed up to make these goals a reality, as have 192 other countries in the world. The Sustainable Development Goals and their attainment matter to the people of Lao PDR. The Goals matter to the mother whose intention is to provide nutritious food and education for her children; to the police man whose mission is to stamp out corruption; and to the farmer whose aim is to adapt her crops to a changing climate. For the people of Lao PDR, living, working and caring for others is a way of life. Solidarity is a shared value. What better grounds is there for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals together? The United Nations in Lao PDR partners with the Government to empower the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people to imagine a better future, realise their goals, and in turn, to collectively achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. “Having a goal isn’t wishing. It isn’t a faint hope or a vague dream that someday we’ll have or do or be. No, having a goal is much, much more.” Dee Sao Lao is a 18-year-old kickboxing champion from Vientiane. She became an athlete and role model for young women by setting a goal for herself and fearlessly persevering through challenges. Find out more about Dee, her goals, and how the people of Lao PDR work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by watching our film “This is Development”.
THE UN’S PLAN FOR ACHIEVING THE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
IN LAO PDR
The United Nations has a plan for supporting the Government of Lao PDR in achieving its national development priorities, guided by the Sustainable Development Goals. Our plan is called the Lao PDR-United Nations Partnership Framework for the period of 2017-2021. It lays out a pathway for all resident United Nations Agencies to work together on addressing the most urgent challenges in the country. We believe we must meet these development challenges head-on. This means that we will support the country in its growth, however making sure that no one is left behind, and that Lao PDR’s natural resources are managed in a sustainable way. We will focus our work on people, not just numbers, to ensure that everyone gains access to health care, education and quality services. We also believe that good governance is the base of a sustainably developing economy. That’s why we are focused on strengthening the Government in delivering services and justice for all. Find out more about what we do and why: www.la.one.un.org
THE UNITED NATIONS
COUNTRY TEAM
IN LAO PDR The United Nations Country Team in Lao PDR consists of all the UN specialised agencies, funds and programmes working in Lao PDR. The UN Country Team works as one to assist the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and support the Government and people of Lao PDR in achieving national development goals. We focus our assistance on the most vulnerable and poor – in particular women, children, and youth – and work together with the Government and development partners to ensure that no one is left behind.
“I feel privileged to lead the UN Country Team. Even though each UN agency in the country has its own mandate and field of expertise, it is great to see how at the end of the day, we all work as one team. Only then can we provide the best support possible to the Government of Lao PDR in its pursuit to reach national development targets and achieve the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.” UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Kaarina Immonen
THE
ROUND TABLE
PROCESS
Lao PDR’s national development cooperation forum driving the implementation of the country’s development plans, supported by sectoral and sub-sectoral working groups. More information at www.rtm.org.la
Health Planning and Finance Human Resources
Health
Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Health Care Food and Drug Hygiene and Health Promotion Land
Natural Resource Management and Environment
Geology and Minerals Water Resource Climate Change, Disaster and Environment Agro-biodiversity
Agriculture and Rural Development
Agri-business Forestry Rural Development Policy Think Tank Basic Education Post-Basic Education
Education
Education Management, Administration and Performance Assessment Education Research and Analysis Sports Clearance
UXO (Mine Action)
Victim Assistance Mine Risk Education
Illicit Drug Control Governance
Drug Crime Public Service Improvement Legal and Institutional Oversight Infrastructure Development
Infrastructure
Transport Water Sanitation and Urban Development
Macro-economics Trade and Private Sector
SDG 18 is Lao PDR’s own national Sustainable Development Goal. Unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains a challenge to development in Lao PDR. An estimated 270 million cluster sub-munitions were dropped during the Second Indochina War, with many remaining unexploded deadly remnants of war. SDG 18 serves to focus national efforts on ensuring a safe environment through clearing land of UXO and educating people about the risks of UXO. Achieving SDG18 will also support the achievement of other SDGS in Lao PDR. For example, by clearing unsafe land of UXOs, farmers can use their land more productively and increase their family’s income, contributing to SDG 1: No Poverty.
“It’s easy to feel disheartened. But every bomb we clear could be land for a new school or a child’s life saved.” Saysamone, Clearance Team Leader at UXO Lao, the national unexploded ordnance clearance operator.
THE
UN SYSTEM
IN LAO PDR AGENCIES
CONTACT
ADB
Asian Development Bank
www.adb.org/countries/ lao-pdr/main T: (856-21) 250 444
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
www.fao.org/laos T: (856-21) 413 205
IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency
www.iaea.org
IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development
www.operations.ifad.org T: (856-21) 267 771
ILO
International Labour Organization
www.ilo.org/asia T: (856-21) 454 415
IMF
International Monetary Fund
www.imf.org/external/ country/LAO T: (856-21) 222 793
IOM
International Organization for Migration
www.iom.int/countries/laopeoples-democratic-republic T: (856-21) 267 734
ITC
United Nations International Trade Centre
www.intracen.org/ country/lao-pdr
OHCHR
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
www.ohchr.org
UN-ACT
United Nations Action for Cooperation Against Trafficking in Persons
http://un-act.org/countries/ lao-pdr/ T: (856-21) 267 790
UNAIDS
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
www.unaids.org T: (856-21) 267 798
UNCDF
United Nations Capital Development Fund
http://www.uncdf.org/laopdr T: (856-21) 267 728
UNCITRAL
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
http://www.uncitral.org/
UNICEF
United Nations Children’s Fund
www.unicef.la T: (856-21) 315 200
UNCTAD
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
www.unctad.org
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme
www.la.undp.org T: (856-21) 267 777
UNESCAP
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
www.unescap.org
UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
en.unesco.org/countries/laopeople-s-democratic-republic T: (856-21) 212 108
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme
www.unep.org
UNFPA
United Nations Population Fund
http://lao.unfpa.org/ T: (856-21) 267 635
UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
www.unhcr.org
UN-HABITAT
United Nations Human Settlements Programme
www.unhabitat.org T: (856-21) 267 777
UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
www.unido.org/office/lao T: (856 21) 267 708
UNOCHA
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
www.unocha.org
UNODC
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
www.unodc.org/laopdr/ T: (856-21) 413 204
UN Women
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment
www.unwomen.org T: (856-21) 267 718, 267 741
UNV
United Nations Volunteers
www.unv.org T: (856-21) 267 757, 267 755
WFP
World Food Programme
www.wfp.org/countries/ Lao-PDR T: (856-21) 330 300
WHO
World Health Organization
www.wpro.who.int/ laos/en T: (856-21) 353 902-04
World Bank Group
www.worldbank.org/lao T: (856-21) 414 209
United Nations in Lao PDR Lane Xang Avenue, P.O. Box 345, Vientiane, Lao PDR +856 (0) 21 267 777 oneun-info.la@one.un.org facebook.com/UNLaos twitter.com/UNinLaoPDR uninlaopdr.exposure.co www.la.one.un.org