What does a first-time visitor to Laos feel when coming face to face with how people here live together with unexploded bombs? European Union-supported blogger Lauren Kana Chan leads us through her impressions. Take a look at her photos!
Back to nature - a slogan much used at the recent international climate conference in Bonn. This slogan of nature-based solutions is reality in Lao PDR, a small land-locked country with a mission to graduate from its least-developed country status.
Lao PDR is rich in fauna and flora and has outstanding biodiversity. There are an estimated 8-11,000 species of flowering plants, a reported 166 species of reptiles and amphibians, 700 species of birds, 90 known species of bats and over 100 species of large mammals. The protection of these resources is paramount to the future of the country.
Haoliang Xu is currently visiting Lao PDR to attend the 2017 Round Table Implementation Meeting in Pakse.
Fragrant tea leaves, bags of pearly rice, coffee beans that bring back memories of the Boloven plateau and yards of smooth silk, in all colors of the rainbow – these are signature products of Lao.
“Having a goal isn’t wishing. It isn’t a faint hope or a vague dream that someday we’ll have or do or be. No, having a goal is much, much more” – this is the opening message of a new film, titled This is Development.
Step into the reality of a UXO clearance team
Sounds of an aircraft. A white screen. Bombs floating down to earth around a hand-drawn image of a tree. The tree and the surrounding hills are gaining in colour, slowly coming alive with people, and we are on top of a breezy hill, in North-Eastern Laos, Xieng Khouang Province. The tree is in front of us, but as we turn, we hear the whistling sound of metal detectors and find ourselves in the midst of a team of UXO clearance technicians. UXO. Unexploded ordnance. They are all around us.
Our work through photos
Experience the impact UNDP's work on the people of Lao PDR through engaging photo stories on our Exposure page.
Witness the beauty of Laos and the smile of its gentle people while learning more about our initiatives.
Regional knowledge exchange in Manila
Join us at the 2017 Regional Knowledge Exchange to learn how countries across the region are working to understand and leverage the interlinkages among the Sustainable Development Goals and their targets.
What we do
UNDP supports the Government of Lao PDR through a partnership approach, engaging with development partners, civil society and the private sector, in order to address development challenges. UNDP Lao PDR provides technical expertise and policy advice to the Government to implement national strategies and plans, and to localise the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Volunteering for the United Nations is a great way to engage with local communities and experience the reality of development work.
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Interested in working for UNDP in Lao PDR? Check out our job opportunities.
About Lao PDR
6.8 million
Population
23 %
Poverty rate
$1,674
Per capita income
0.586
Human Dev. Index