United Nations Radio

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is optimistic that the Lao PDR will meet its national development goals - to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by its target date of 2020.

Addressing ministers, development partners and UN staff at the inauguration of the newly-completed UN House in Vientiane, Mr Ban congratulated the government for its commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and the steady progress it has made in improving health, education and living standards.

But he says while there is a great deal to celebrate - there is also cause for concern highlighting high rates of child malnutrition and maternal mortality, and poverty rates in rural areas. He urged
greater investments in human development, the social sector and environmental sustainability to achieve the improvements still needed in several areas.
Secretary-General Ban also shared the concerns of the government, UN agencies and development partners in Laos about the global financial crisis:

"That is why I used my recent visit to London to participate in the G-20 Summit meeting how United Nations can help overcome this crisis particularly for many developing countries.  I wanted to make sure that leaders in London did not forget subsistence farmers in Laos and many other developing countries."

During the inauguration of the UN House, the Secretary-General noted that the building, which provides space for nine UN agencies and was funded by the government, "embodies the long history of cooperation and trust between the Lao Government and the United Nations - a relationship nurtured over more than half a century."

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.
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