VIENTIANE, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (ILO News) - Lao People’s Democratic Republic has accelerated national efforts towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on social protection and eradication of poverty with the launch of a new International Labour Organization (ILO) project.

The project titled "Accelerating Universal Social Protection for Achieving the SDGs and Ending Poverty through Strengthened Governance and Digital Transformation" was launched in Vientiane on November 10, 2023.

Representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the ILO inaugurated the project, which is financially supported by the United Nations Peace and Development Fund. The event saw the participation of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), which will jointly implement the project with ILO, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People's Republic of China (MOHRSS), acting as a technical project partner.

The project aims to support the Government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic to accelerate progress towards universal social protection through strengthening policy design, enhancing governance systems, and broadening coverage to encompass a larger population.

The focus includes collaborating with national stakeholders to boost institutional capacities in planning, coordination, financing, implementation, and monitoring of the National Social Protection Strategy, particularly emphasizing the social security pillar. The initiatives also seek to facilitate workers' access to the national social security scheme.

Leepao Yang, Vice Minister of Labour and Social Welfare said, “This project is very important to us as it supports the Lao government in the implementation of the National Social Protection Strategy. That will ultimately contribute to the achievement of our national poverty reduction goals: to reduce and prevent poverty, vulnerability, and social inclusion for Lao citizens throughout their lives.”

Highlighting the significance of the project, a Cooperation Agreement was signed between the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the ILO during the launch event.

“The project importantly reflects the national vision and priorities in the National Social Protection Strategy”, said Oktavianto Pasaribu, Deputy Director and Officer-in-charge of the ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR and signatory to the agreement.

“Additionally, it reflects the importance of ILO’s support to Lao PDR, as we have been supporting the Government throughout the design and adoption of the Strategy and first enactment of the Social Security Law in 2013. Through this project, we will continue our technical assistance to the strengthening of the Strategy and its social security pillar. We will also link policy interventions with practical actions to increase social security coverage.”

Yanli Zhai, Head of the MOHRSS Delegation and Director of the Social Insurance Agency of the People's Republic of China, expressed deep appreciation for the collaborative efforts, “I believe promising and fruitful outcomes can be expected as bilateral and multilateral cooperation are expanded in social protection,” he said.

The project launch event included the first Project Advisory Committee meeting, where representatives from the Lao Social Security Organisation, ILO, UNDESA, and MOHRSS, discussed and endorsed the project work plan in preparation for the forthcoming implementation of activities.