The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), launched the National Planning and Financing for Inclusive Development (NPFID) Project on Friday, 19 May 2023, in Vientiane Capital, Laos.
The NPFID launch event was chaired by Ms. Phonevanh Outhavong, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), and co-chaired by Ms. Catherine Phuong, UNDP Officer-in-Charge, and Mr. Michael Ronning, USAID Laos Country Representative.
The project will seek to build the capacity of core planning institutions and line ministries to become more results-oriented and lead more efficient and inclusive engagement and partnerships in line with Vientiane Declaration Country Action Plan (VDCAP) and the 9th NSEDP’s Financing Strategy. The project will also involve targeted initiatives to improve monitoring mechanisms in different aspects of financing and planning.
At the launch event, Ms. Phonevanh Outhavong, Deputy Minister of MPI remarked that “The National Planning and Financing for Inclusive Development project builds on previous support extended to advance the national development priorities, Sustainable Development Goals, and graduation from LDC status. MPI, relevant ministries, and development partners recognize the significance of these past interventions.
This project, which extends support until 2025, builds on these strategic areas with a stronger focus on strengthening the links between national planning and financing.”
Ms. Catherine Phuong, UNDP Officer-in-Charge congratulated MPI for their leadership in bringing together seven government Departments that have key roles in contributing to national development planning and financing within a single project framework.
She highlighted that “UNDP is pleased to support the Government to build national capacity to deliver on its NSEDP priorities through improved quality of planning, use of evidence and foresight and through adequate resourcing of its plans. These steps can pave the way for effective implementation and in yielding the intended results of NSEDPs”.
Mr. Michael Ronning, USAID Laos Country Representative said that “The project’s key feature is its increased emphasis on building internal capacities of government staff, and in mainstreaming Gender Equality and Social Exclusion in the planning cycle”.
He added that “Active participation of both central and provincial government staff, which are at the forefront of development planning and implementation, will be instrumental to achieve the country’s commitments under the VDCAP.”
The NPFID project has a budget of more than USD 900,000 and will be implemented over a two-and-a-half-year period by MPI, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance, with technical support from UNDP.
