The Lao Government’s overarching development goal is to lift the country from the ranks of LDCs by 2020. Key national development plans such as the National Socio Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2006-2010 clearly recognize some of the essential sustainable development principles as it states that the socio-economic development of the country must be balanced between economic growth, socio-cultural development and environmental preservation. Environment features both in the NSEDP and the National Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (NGPES) as one of the main inter-sectoral issues.  The importance of environmental conservation and the poverty-environment linkages are generally acknowledged in these national plans and strategies.  Lao PDR is committed to Agenda 21 as well as to other conventions adopted at the Rio Conference including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.  The Lao PDR agreed to other key international commitments in the area of sustainable development including the Human Rights, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). Lao PDR is also a signatory of the Johannesburg Pan of Implementation (JPOI) which calls upon countries to take immediate steps in the formulation of National Sustainable Development Strategies (NSDS).

• Mission Report
• Inception Meeting Report