The International Eradication Day 17 Oct 2011 (Lao PDR)

1. 17 October 2011
From poverty to sustainability: People at the center of inclusive development
This year's International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
focuses on people and their right to live with health, dignity and
hope for the future. Lao PDR's recent record in improving
living standards is impressive, with poverty rates falling
from 46 percent of the population in 1992 to 27.6 percent
in 2008.
The current economic boom, averaging 7.9 percent growth
annually over the last five years, provides an opportunity
to further eradicate poverty. But to realize this, the
investments fueling this growth must be sustainable and
benefit the people.
Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator, highlights the importance of
this in today's message where she says, “Truly sustainable
development for present and future generations must safeguard
ecosystems while also enabling economic and social progress.”
The fast-growing economy of Lao PDR is driven by Foreign
Thriving market in Luang
Direct Investment (FDI) primarily in the natural resource
Prabang Photo:Silvia Jundt
sectors. This growth places pressure on natural
ecosystems and can lead to dramatic changes in land use. With the large majority of rural
Lao people depending on natural resources for their food and incomes, these changes can
have a significant impact on their livelihoods.
In Lao PDR the joint UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) works to improve the ability of the government to include
environmental and social concerns in investment planning and to effectively manage investments
through the use of practical tools. The overall goal is to ensure that private investments generate
maximum benefits for local economies and that social and environmental safeguards are in place to
minimize potentially negative impacts on local communities.
According to Dechen Tsering, the Deputy Regional Director of Asia and the Pacific for the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP), it's critical that there is an open dialogue about the development of
the country. “I think what's really important for the people of Lao PDR is for them to determine the
kind of growth they want, the kind of quality and the livelihoods that they want for themselves. I am
increasingly encouraged that the government is working closely with the people so that they are a
meaningful partner in this process.”
In May 2011, the Investment Promotion Department of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI)
presented their new national investment strategy and a 2011-15 action plan. The strategy provides a
framework to promote quality investments for Lao PDR and to strengthen coordination between all
ministries for effective management of domestic and foreign investments.
The plan emphasizes the need to mobilize investments that will generate sufficient government
revenue to help finance social and human development, create sustainable jobs and incomes, transfer
skills and technology, create linkages with the domestic business sector, and safeguard the
environment.
Speaking at the launch of the strategy, Minh Pham, UNDP Resident Representative, reiterated the
importance of assessing and monitoring FDI, “Foreign direct investment clearly has a valuable role to
play in the future development of Lao PDR. But ensuring that FDI contributes to and at least does not
harm the country's development is of course not automatic. This will very much depend upon the
quality of FDI selected and approved by the government.”
For Manothong Vongsay, the Deputy Director General of the Investment Promotion Department, MPI,
looking at the experience of other nations is vital. “To ensure the sustainability of growth we have to
be very careful and try to learn from the mistakes that other countries have made and try to avoid

2. these, especially as Laos is heavily dependent on natural resources.” He added that quality
investments will generate job opportunities, transfer skills to local workers and have minimal impact
on the environment.
Ultimately quality investments will play a crucial role in ensuring Lao PDR makes the jump from
poverty to sustainability through contributing to the implementation of the government's 7th National
Socio-Economic Development Plan. The 7th development plan underscores the importance of,
„achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), protecting the environment, maintaining
political stability and peace, having an open economy integrated into the regional (ASEAN community)
and world economy, and focusing on the quality of growth.'
Assignment #1:
My name is Mr.Somphoun Paoxaichar and I’m a activist for FACEBOOK with the power of social
Technology. The reason “ why I used this social media?” As very one knew that there are many social
medias in the internet we can use which you want, it is very important for everyone if you know how
to use it and very useful it has many important activities with your friends but if you couldn’t
manage yourself with social media you will lose everything on the way you are going on. So that
since FACEBOOK had established on February 2004 it is very famous through the world and there are
many people use more than other social media, it’s going up higher than other although every social
media uses almost similar way, but why face book are more than, because it’s very easy to using,
interface’s impressive, close up with your friend and more activities…
Assignment#2:
Event on 17 Oct 2011 In Laos (From poverty to sustainability)
As we also know that on 17 Oct every year is International Day for Eradication of Poverty, so
maybe every countries always does something important on that day. So in Laos, Helen Clark, UNDP
Administrator, highlights the importance of this where she says, “Truly sustainable development for
present and future generations must safeguard ecosystems while also enabling economic and social
progress.”
The fast-growing economy of Lao PDR is driven by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) primarily
in the natural resource sectors. This growth places pressure on natural ecosystems and can lead to
dramatic changes in land use. With the large majority of rural Lao people depending on natural
resources for their food and incomes, these changes can have a significant impact on their
livelihoods.
This year's International Day for the Eradication of Poverty focuses on people and their right
to live with health, dignity and hope for the future. Lao PDR's recent record in improving living

3. standards is impressive, with poverty rates falling from 46 percent of the population in 1992 to 27.6
percent in 2008.
The current economic boom, averaging 7.9 percent growth annually over the last five years, provides
an opportunity to further eradicate poverty.