Vientiane province will host the 2016 Round Table Implementation Meeting (RTIM) from November 24-25.
Preparations included arrangements for security, accommodation, provision of equipment for use during meetings, and transport, with all of these now in place.
Vientiane provincial Vice Governor Ms Singkham Khongsavanh yesterday told a press conference held at the Ministry of Planning and Investment about the preparations for the meeting.
Based on our capacity and experience in hosting important events for government bodies in past years, our province and people are ready to welcome both Lao delegations and representatives of our development partners, Ms Singkham said.
Yesterday’s meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment DrKikeoChanthaboury and UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator MsKaarinaImmonen.
The RTIM will be attended by more than 300 government officials and representatives of development partners to take stock of achievements and challenges, and discuss their future collaboration on national development priorities.
Round Table Implementation Meetings are part of the national Round Table Process, a mechanism to ensure the maximum impact of development efforts, according to UNDP.
The meetings are held to ensure the agreed priorities are put into action. The Round Table process also includes 10 Sector Working Groups to coordinate actions by theme in what is a pivotal year, with the launch of the 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and of a new global development agenda, with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core.
At yesterday’s press briefing, DrKikeo said This year, Sector Working Groups have played an important role in supporting the government and its development partners in jointly progressing towards the objectives of the 8th NSEDP from 2016-2020 at the national and provincial levels.
The plan is vital to ensuring that Laos graduates from least developed country status by 2020, he said.
DrKikeo said the Round Table meeting will cover the government’s strategic development policies in promoting economic growth, stability and inclusion; boosting human development through improved food security and nutrition, health and education; and ensuring development is sustainable and helps mitigate climate change.
In addition to reviewing progress made, the participants will exchange views on emerging policy issues and priorities in 2017, and on ways for approaching these in a coordinated manner, while being mutually accountable, predictable and focused on results.
Dedicated panel discussions will focus on the localisation of the global SDGs; effective development cooperation to translate the national development agenda into action; food and nutrition security; and green growth, climate change and disaster preparedness.
This year marks many significant achievements in Laos, including the successful ASEAN Summit in Vientiane in September as well as the significant progress of integrating the global 2030 Development Agenda into the 8th NSEDP,Ms Immonen said.
This indicates that the partnership between the government and the development community is becoming stronger, more diverse and more inclusive.
The Vientiane Declaration on the Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation and key documents will be also launched during the upcoming Round Table meeting.
Source: Vientiane Times
