Bhutan

Lao PDR Government Mission to Bhutan

Lao PDR Government Mission to Bhutan
4-11 May 2011

The Lao People's Democratic Republic is, like Bhutan, one of the very few countries globally where UN/UNDP co-chairs the government-donor platform to discuss national development plans and donor pledging, and it is the UNDP's flagship Round Table Meeting project that assists this Government's aid effectiveness agenda led by Department of International Cooperation of Ministry of Planning and Investment (DIC/MPI).

During DIC's study mission to UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Centre in Bangkok in December 2010, Bhutan was recommended for South-South cooperation for DIC/MPI to learn good practices and lessons learnt and also sharing experiences. In May 2011 the Lao Mission visited Bhutan to conduct its study mission for its south-to-south cooperation.

The main objective of the mission was for the Department of International Cooperation of Ministry of Planning and Investment (DIC/MPI) of the Government of Lao PDR and UNDP Lao PDR, to learn from the Bhutanese governments good practices and lessons learnt and also sharing experiences, on the office structure, business flow streamlining and staff capacity development that are conducive to a more efficient and effective ODA management and coordination, as South-South cooperation, for DIC to further enhance its capacities to fulfill its mandate.

The team met with representatives from the Gross National Happiness Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNDP colleagues and other government partners. The mission was a successful event with the Lao delegates impressed with the competencies of the Bhutanese government officials, and with the high degree of commitment to the ODA management and coordination across the line ministries, under the leadership of the Prime Minister. 

Further the team was impressed with the fact that all the ODAs are mainstreamed into the national budget, as well as with the PLAMS (Planning and Monitoring System) that GNHC has developed all in house, with UNDP assistance. It was indicated that this is an excellent homegrown online RBM system that captures all the ODAs and links them with the five year plan and annual work planning. 

The Mission returned to Laos equipped with better knowledge on Bhutan's ODA and best practices shared at the south-to-south cooperation. It is hoped that the two countries will continue to share experiences and learn from each other.