Joint Programming & SDG Brochure in Lao PDR

European Joint Programming is actively contributing to Lao PDR’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, complementing the Government of Lao PDR’s early incorporation of the SDGs in national development planning with coherent action from European Partners.

European partners have jointly identified seven ‘priority sectors’ in which they have a comparative advantage and are active in policy dialogue. The sectors are aligned with the government of Lao PDR's policies and definitions. Coordination is ensured through the relevant working group mechanism, thus enabling ownership. European partners are harmonising their programming through this joint programming exercise with each sector contributing to a results framework linked to monitoring indicators to enable mutual accountability for results.

The outcome document focuses on the following 'priority sectors' for European development cooperation:

1. Agriculture and Rural Development – the objective is sustainable development in rural areas through balanced agriculture development preserving the interests of small holders and contributing to poverty reduction;
2. Education – focus is on basic education, comprising primary and lower secondary education;
3. Environment and Natural Resources – the objective is for the rural and poor communities targeted by European support to benefit from healthy and sustainably managed forest ecosystems and secure access to land in line with the Voluntary guidelines on the responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forest in the context of national food security;
4. Governance – the objective is to contribute to good governance, the Rule of law and human rights in Lao PDR. People’s representation and participation and Rule of law are two of the four pillars of the Lao PDR Strategic Governance Plan 2011-2020;
5. Health - support to the health sector is based on the Lao National Health Sector Reform Strategy 2013-25, the corresponding 8th Health Sector Development Plan (2016 – 2020) and relevant subsector strategies regarding maternal and child health (MNCH), health financing, nutrition and health personnel development;
6. Nutrition - European partners align their support, with the vision statement of the Lao PDR National Nutrition Policy to 2025 ''to improve the nutritional status of children and women, especially the most vulnerable and hard to reach'';
7. Private Sector Development, including Technical, Vocational Education and Training and Tourism - joint support of the European partners focuses on the development of the economy, especially value chains, trade and investment policy in the context of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC);

Attached document is a reflection of the European efforts in these sectors. You can find more information at: https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/lao-pdr/1407/lao-pdr-and-eu_en