LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

NATIONAL ROUND TABLE PROCESS

Chairs and Co-chairs of Sector Working Groups Prepare for 2019 Round Table Implementation Meeting

Meeting of the Chairs and Co-Chairs of the SWGs, August 2019.

Vientiane, 8 August 2019 – The Ministry of Planning and Investment and UNDP convened Chairs and Co-chairs of the Sector Working Groups, the key coordination mechanisms of the national Round Table Process for development cooperation.

The meeting was chaired by H.E. Dr. Kikeo Chanthaboury, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment and co-chaired by Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator to Lao PDR. Participants included concerned line ministries, development partners including ASEAN countries, and representatives from private sector and civil society. Participants discussed progress towards the recommendations of the 2018 Round Table Meeting and preparations for the 2019 meeting.

In his opening, Dr. Kikeo Chanthaboury, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, reiterated the importance of national ownership, alignment and harmonization of development cooperation. “The 2019 Round Table Implementation Meeting will provide critical inputs to the development of our 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan.” the Deputy Minister said.  “Our discussions will be informed by lessons learned from the Mid-Term Review of the 8th NSEDP, the Voluntary National Review on the Sustainable Development Goals, and the review on graduation from Least Developed Country status. Our fruitful and constructive dialogue also focused on strengthening multi-stakeholder partnership and cooperation for better development results.”

The outcomes of the Round Table Implementation Meeting will guide the implementation of the 8th NSEDP (2016 – 2020) during the remaining period, the preparation of the 9th NSEDP, and the longer-term development vision towards 2030 and beyond.

Ms. Sara Sekkenes, UN Resident Coordinator reiterated the continued importance of frank, open and substantive policy dialogue. “The main objective of the Sector Working Groups is to harmonize the many ongoing endeavors, and frontload priority areas that can accelerate but also spread development dividends more evenly among the Lao population, for us – collectively – to achieve a stronger and more sustainable development impact,” Ms. Sekkenes added.

Contacts:

Mr. Morakot Vongxay, Director of International Organisations Division, DIC/MPI, Mobile: +856 20 2244 8892, Email: k_vongxay@hotmail.com

Mr. Somlith Khounpaseuth, Communications Associate, United Nations Development Programme, Mobile: +856 20 7771 1874, Email: somlith.khounpaseuth@undp.org