(KPL) In order to help improve the nutrition of Lao citizens, especially children, the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the United States opened the Lao National Institute of Nutrition and the Lao-American Nutrition Initiative on Nov 14, 2019 in Vientiane Capital. The beautiful new institute, which combines clinic and classroom buildings, has a combined value of US$ 3.9 million.

(KPL) Laos celebrated in Vientiane on Nov 16 the centennial anniversary of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the 55th anniversary of the Lao PDR’s accession to the organization. President of the National Assembly Pany Yathortou, Vice President of the Lao Federation of Trade Unions Aly Vongnorbounthan, Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce Valy Vetsaphong took part in the celebration.

(KPL) The delegation from the Lao PDR announced a package of national commitments to the acceleration of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (PoA, ICPD) and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25 this week. From 12-14 November, the governments of Kenya and Denmark and UNFPA are co-convening the Nairobi Summit on ICPD 25, a high-level conference to mobilize the political will and financial commitments to further advance the ICPD PoA. These commitments will be centred on achieving zero unmet need for family planning information and services, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls.

(KPL) Through the support of UNFPA and Lao Midwife Fund, the Lao Association of Midwives (LAM) hosted its first professional development workshop on the Maternal Death Surveillance and Response mechanism (MDSR) on Nov 13-14. The aim was to engage LAM members’ active involvement in recognition and prevention of undesired health outcomes, with reference to the most recent figure of maternal death in the Lao PDR. Over the last year, with the continued support of UNFPA and Lao Midwife Fund, a group of motivated midwives and midwifery teachers voluntarily came together to strategize and advocate for the establishment of a professional midwifery association.

(KPL) Lao PDR will implement a new cross-cutting and evidence-based approach to tackle childhood undernutrition with support from the World Bank.

(KPL) Siwon Choi, star of Korean boyband Super Junior, has been unveiled as UNICEF East Asia and Pacific’s new Regional Ambassador.

(KPL) Legislators from North, Central and South America gathered at the Carson Center in Carson, California, USA to show their support for the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).

(KPL) The International Research Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development was held in Vientiane Capital on Oct 5, 2019.

(KPL) The Australian government has provided AUD 250,000 (about 1.5 billion kip) to support the government of the Lao PDR to assist those affected by the recent floods in Attapeu, Champassak, Khammuan, Saravan, Savannakhet and Xekong provinces.

(KPL) Strategies to ensure safer and healthier chicken farming plus stronger village-based poultry production in the Lao PDR’s Luang Prabang province were the focus of a 2-day final workshop to evaluate and share results, lessons learnt and advocate for sustainability of project achievements under the country component of the regional project “Evidence-Based Risk Management along the Livestock Production and Market Chain”.