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The Ministry of Finance, with support from UNICEF, convened a consultation on public financing for nutrition, co-chaired by Mr. Sitthiroth Rasphone, Vice Minister of Finance, together with Ms. Tinatin Baum, Acting Deputy Representative of UNICEF Lao PDR, and attended by relevant stakeholders.
The objective of the meeting is to strengthen capacity in planning, nutrition budget tracking, and expenditure analysis to aligned with the Lao PDR's public financial management reforms.
During the meeting, Mr. Sitthiroth Rasphone, Vice Minister of Finance, stated that to translate national nutrition priorities into concrete and secure adequate funding, the Ministry of Finance must strengthen cooperation with UNICEF and relevant sectors to ensure that support for this work can achieve its goals to reduce malnutrition among children in Lao PDR.
Furthermore, Ms. Tinatin Baum, Acting Deputy Representative of UNICEF Lao PDR, emphasized the importance of investing in nutrition, which is considered an investment in human capital development and the nation's future. Strong public finance systems will help ensure that budget spending yields maximum benefits and reaches every child.
The meeting held in straightforward discussions and able to defined roles, directions, and concrete operational steps toward institutionalizing nutrition budget tracking nationally. Through the Child Nutrition Fund, UNICEF will continue to support the Government of Lao PDR in public financial management reforms for future sustainability.
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