Laos calls for international support to fulfil development agendas, SDGs

Laos has called for further support from the international community to help realise its climate actions and speed up efforts to fulfil its national development agendas and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).   

Mr Phoxay Khaykhamphithoune. --Photo Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Addressing the 79th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) this week, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Phoxay Khaykhamphithoune said support is crucial for Laos, as a least developed country (LDC) and landlocked developing country (LLDC), to fulfill its national and international commitments.
“While doing our utmost, we will still need further support and cooperation from the international community so as to mobilise adequate financial resources as well as technical support to achieve our national development goals and objectives, the SDGs, and the commitment under the Paris Agreement,” he told the annual session.
Taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, from May 15-19, the meeting addresses the theme ‘Accelerating climate actions in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development’.
The head of the Lao delegation noted that climate change has undermined the progress made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
In the face of the impacts of natural disasters and climate change, he said, the Lao government continues to attach great importance to pursuing green growth and combating and mitigating the impacts of climate change, in close cooperation with all relevant stakeholders.
“Therefore, we have developed various policies and strategies,” he told the session.
These strategies include the National Green Growth Strategy to 2030 and the National Climate Change Strategy towards 2030.
The Lao government also made a commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, during the Climate Ambition Summit in 2020.
The government subsequently announced during the COP 26 its national targets for 2030, namely to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent, to increase forest cover to 70 percent of the total land area, and to promote the use of renewable and clean energy through a 30 percent share of electric vehicles and 10 percent biofuel.
At the regional level, the government is working closely with other members of Asean to address the climate change challenges.
These include implementation of the Asean Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response and the One Asean, One Response Declaration, while enhancing Asean regional climate action.
Amid the ongoing threats posed by climate change, Mr Phoxay said “Individual countries and the international community as a whole must redouble our collective efforts to urgently tackle this crisis.”
The crisis can be addressed through the development and implementation of climate actions which are in accordance with the Paris Agreement and climate-related SDGs, he said.
The 79th UN ESCAP meeting brought together government leaders from across Asia and the Pacific and other key stakeholders to discuss policy options and areas of regional cooperation required to accelerate climate action in the region and beyond.
During the meeting, Mr Phoxay met for talks with the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Ms Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.
The two officials reviewed cooperation between UN ESCAP and Laos in past years and discussed future plans, including Laos’ efforts to fulfil the SDGs and its chairmanship of Asean in 2024, as well as preparations to graduate from least developed country status in 2026.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update May 18, 2023)