STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN PLANNING LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity FORUM ON PLANS AND PRSPs IN EAST ASIA

Presentation Organisation National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy (NGPES) formulation Sixth Five-Year Plan ( ) preparation Challenges

NGPES FORMULATION (1) 1.First National Workshop on Poverty Alleviation, th Round Table Meeting in Rapid Poverty Assessment in 1997 & LECS II in 1997/ th Round Table Meeting in PPAs and LECS III

NGPES FORMULATION (2) 6.Presentation of Governance Policy Paper to partners in development in April th Round Table Meeting in September National Assembly’s approval of NGPES in October 2003

Participants in NGPES Formulation Central Ministries & Agencies, NA, and the mass organizations Academics and researchers Provinces, districts and communities Private sector International NGOs Partners in development

Incorporation of Stakeholder Views in NGPES The consultations generated a rich array of ideas from stakeholders, including on the Needs and priorities to be addressed Strategies, policies and actions Approaches Targeting

NGPES Implementation Implementation slow largely due to lack of earmarked funds: Annual Plans and budgets tied to PIP under Fifth Plan Partners too did not earmark funds Only modest support for preparation of focal area plans and costing

Lessons from NGPES Participation valuable Economic growth necessary for sustained poverty reduction Targeting necessary to help the poorest NGPES needs to fit with 5-year Plan Integrate poverty reduction in sectors

Sixth Plan Formulation (1) Began in the last Quarter of 2003 Bottom-up approach Drew upon lessons from Fifth Plan and various macro and sector strategies Preliminary ideas shared with partners in development, private sector and Lao researchers and mass organizations

Sixth Plan Formulation (2) Draft Sixth Plan presented to: (i) Government several times, (ii) Party Central Committee and National Assembly, (iii) Partners, and (iv) Party Congress To be shared with private investors and Lao researchers & mass organizations Submit Final draft to National Assembly

NGPES Integration in Plan Various strands of poverty reduction pulled together as a coherent strategy Key sectors and supporting sectors Cross-cutting areas Poverty-focused National Programmes Targeted interventions

Stakeholder Views The consultations generated a wealth of suggestions, and a few examples are: public fiscal management financial sector private sector development Prioritization with poverty focus Implementation, monitoring & evaluation

Challenges Resource mobilization Ensuring adherence to priorities Improving implementation Monitoring, evaluation and reporting

THANK YOU LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity