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| Home » Asia Pacific at a Glance » Lao PDR |
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LAO PEOPLE'S
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC AT A GLANCE |
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| General
Information |
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| Land Boundaries:
Burma, Cambodia, China, Thailand and Vietnam |
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| Ethnic Groups: Lao Loum, Lao
Theung, Lao Soung, including the Hmong (Meo) and the Yao (Mien),
ethnic Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese |
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| Religion: Buddhist, animist and
others |
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| Languages: Lao (official), French,
English, and various ethnic languages |
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| Government Type: Communist state |
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| Administrative divisions: 16
provinces, 1 municipality, and 1 special zone |
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| Legal System: based on traditional
customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice |
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| EXECUTIVE |
| Chief of
state |
President Gen. Khamtai Siphandon
(since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. Choumalli
Saignason (since 27 March 2001) |
| Head of Government |
Prime Minister Boungnang
Volachit (since 27 March 2001) |
| Cabinet |
Council of Ministers
appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly |
| Elections |
President elected by
the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last
held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime
minister appointed by the president with the approval
of the National Assembly for a five-year term |
| LEGISLATURE |
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Unicameral National
Assembly (109 seats; members selected by the party are
elected by the general population to serve five-year terms;
note - total number of seats increased from 99 to 109
for the 2002 election) |
| Elections |
Last held 24 February
2002 (next to be held NA 2007) |
| JUDICIARY |
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People's Supreme Court
(the president of the People's Supreme Court is elected
by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president
of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed
by the National Assembly Standing Committee) |
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| Indicators |
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| Indicators |
Estimate |
Year |
Source |
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| Population ( millions) |
| Population growth (1991-2001) |
| Annual Population Growth (percent) |
| Population Density (per sq.km) |
| Sex Ratio (females per 1,000
males) |
| Crude Birth Rate (per 1000 population) |
| Crude Death Rate |
| Total Fertility Rate |
| Infant Mortality (per 1000) |
| Maternal Mortality Rate |
| Human Development Index Ranking |
| Literacy (Total) |
| -
Males |
| -
Females |
| Increase in literacy |
| People below poverty line (%) |
| Urban Population (%) |
| Growth of Urban population (annual) |
| Life expectancy |
| Per capita GNP (US $) |
| Population with access to proper
sanitation (%) |
| Population with access to improved
water sources (%) |
| Health Expenditure-Public (%
of GDP) |
| Health Expenditure - Private
(% of GDP) |
| Physicians per 100,000 population |
| Population with Access to Essential
Drugs (%) |
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| 5.7 | 2003 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | NA | NA | NA | | 2.29 | 2000-2005 | UNPOP | | 22 | 2000 | UNPOP | | NA | NA | NA | | 35.6 | 2000 - 2005 | UNPOP | | 12.6 | 2000 - 2005 | UNPOP | | 4.8 | 2000 - 2005 | WHO | | 82 | 2003 | MDG (Progress Report 2004) | | 530 | 2000 | MDG (Progress Report 2004) | | 133 | 2005 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 63.7 | 2003 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 77.0 | 2003 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 60.9 | 2003 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | NA | NA | NA | | 38.6 | 1990-2002 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 20.7 | 2003 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 4.7 | 1990 - 2002 | UNICEF | | 59 | 2003 | WHO | | 1,759 | 2003 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 24 | 2002 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 43 | 2002 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 2.0 | 2002 | WHO | | 1.4 | 2002 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 59 | 1990-2004 | UNDP HDR 2005 | | 50 - 79 | 1999 | UNDP HDR 2003 |
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| Socio-Economic
Background |
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| Laos is a small, mountainous, landlocked country bordering Burma, Cambodia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. One of the poorest countries in Asia, with a per capita annual income of $310, Laos ranks 135th on the United Nations Development Program Human Development Index, which measures life expectancy, education, literacy, and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. The country’s road and communications systems are underdeveloped.
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| Subsistence agriculture accounts for about half of GDP and involves over 80% of the country’s labor force. About 18% of GDP comes from manufacturing. In addition, Laos continues to cope with the damage and unexploded ordinance from U.S. bombing raids during the Vietnam War. (50 percent of the land and 15 out of 18 provinces are contaminated). |
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| In 1986, the LPDR government began a policy of economic reform — disbanding collective farms, allowing market forces to determine prices, legalizing private ownership of land, and encouraging private enterprise in all but some key industries and sectors. Between 1988 and 1996, the country’s economy grew by 7% per year. It began to falter in 1997 due to effects of the Asian financial crisis, a drop in exports to Thailand, and adverse economic policies such as the re-imposition of central controls. The economy began to stabilize again in 2000. Laos’s GDP grew by 5.9% in 2002. The World Bank has projected a 7% growth in GDP for 2006. |
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| However there are many challenges in achieving equitable growth, not least of all the fact that the majority of the population (82.9%) live in rural and remote areas without access to basic infrastructure and services. Urban-rural disparities are acute, only half of the country's 5.2 million people can read, 54 percent are under 20 years of age, one-third of the entire population do not live to reach 40, one-third lack access to health services, and almost half the population live without access to safe drinking water. Infrastructure is low-tech: there are no railroads, the road system is rudimentary and external and internal telecommunications are minimal. The internet made an initial appearance in late 2002, but electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Only 18% has access to adequate levels of sanitation and 44% to safe drinking water. |
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| Child mortality indicators are gradually improving. According to the Millennium Development Goals progress report of 2004 infant mortality between 1990 and 2000 had been reduced from 132 to 82 per thousand, and under-five child mortality had come down to 106 from 170 per thousand live births. |
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| Women make up almost half the adult labour force, but are poorer, less educated and have fewer opportunities than men. This is in part due to cultural attitudes to women and a high average fertility rate of 6.6 children per female. Women have less access to land, credit and paid employment, and are more likely to be illiterate than men. Things are however changing. For instance, the net enrolment in schools rose from 58% in 1991 to 83 % in 2002. This overall improvement also disguises the disparities between boys ad girls and also between provinces. The lowest ratios tend to have higher proportions of rural, poor and ethnic minority children. |
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| Because up to 80 percent of the Lao population lives in rural areas, many people depend on forests for timber, medicinal plants and wildlife for their livelihoods. Laos boasts an environment rich in natural resources, natural beauty and biological diversity. The country provides a habitat for an estimated 10,000 species of animals, fish, insects and plants. At least 25 of these are listed by the World Conservation Union as “endangered” and the country's once expansive forests are dwindling rapidly. |
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| Although Laos remains a one-party state, it is nevertheless making progress towards democratisation and more transparency. In 1989, the first elections were since held since 1975, although all candidates had to be approved by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. Laos embarked on the road to reforming the government and economic structure as far back as 1986, a process that continues to this day. This transition has had far-reaching implications for government policy. A whole range of reforms have begun. The civil service, public administration and revenue collection arms of government require re-organisation and training. A constitution was enacted in 1991. Laos became actively involved in strengthening its international partnerships, joining the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1997 and is currently preparing for accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). |
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| Laos borders several Asian countries that have a very high prevalence of HIV and AIDS. So far, incidence of the disease has been low, but as the country continues to open up to the outside world, and more internal and international migration occurs, the risk of a large-scale epidemic will increase significantly. |
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| The government has the difficult task of managing an economy that is widely seen as one of the weakest in the region. The population of 5.2 million is expected to double in the next 25 years. This growth is increasing the demand for agricultural land and social services. As more adolescents enter working age, competition for scarce employment opportunities will substantially increase in the coming decades. |
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| In recent years Laos has experienced relatively good economic growth, however high income groups continue to be the main beneficiaries of this. Also, while economic growth and private sector development are seen by the government as the main engines for development and poverty eradication, the country has not yet experienced the economic boom of China or Vietnam, which constrains development efforts and necessitates continued donor support. Exports are limited to two major areas; forest products and hydropower. Tourism, and small garments and manufacturing industry are beginning to play an increasing part in the economy. |
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| Across the country, regional, lowland-upland, urban-rural, ethnic, and gender disparities are reflected in inequities in access to fertile land, basic social services, and transport and communications, posing real challenges for poverty reduction. Nevertheless, Laos is located in the centre of a dynamic and prospering region and as such has the potential to provide a strategic resource base and land link to its neighbours Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and China. |
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| The events for this year’s IVD aims to help Laos PDR address its commitments to the MDGs, specifically eradicate poverty & hunger (Goal 1), achieve universal primary education (Goal 2), combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases (Goal 6), and ensure environmental sustainability (Goal 7). |
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Information sources:
UNDP, Human Development Report, 2003
Asian Development Bank, Country Strategy and Programme, 2002-2004
The European Commission – Lao PDR Country Strategy Paper, 2002-2006
Asian Development Bank, Asian Development Outlook, 2003 |
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| HIV
Situation |
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| The first HIV-positive case was reported in the country in 1990 and the first AIDS case in 1992. |
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| The Lao PDR is a low prevalence country (0.05 percent of the population). This, despite the fact that many of its neighbours- Burma, Thailand and Cambodia are countries with much higher prevalence rates. While the Thai epidemic was at its peak in 1993, only 57 positive cases had been detected in Lao PDR. |
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| A combination of factors can be attributed to the low presence of HIV/AIDS in the country. Lao culture emphasizes of monogamy and faithfulness and those who do have multiple partners do have fewer than in some other countries. In addition levels of migration are low, in and outside the country, injecting drug use is rare and sex work is illegal although there is incidence of commercial sex. But the trend is gradually changing. |
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| The international community and also the government of the Lao PDR have realised that an expansion of the country’s HIV/AIDS programme is imperative. Foreign investments have increased, so has the number of visitors to the country. Migration, both domestic and across borders, are on the rise as the people seek better sources of livelihood. Consequently, unsafe sexual behaviour and recreational drug use are also registering an upward trend. The steady increase of population mobility, tourism, urbanization and seasonal migration between countries makes Laos even more vulnerable to the epidemic. High numbers of school dropouts with limited access to vocational and higher education or meaningful employment are also important factors. Additionally, the low socio-economic status of women further compounds HIV vulnerability. |
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| With better economic integration of the South East Asian region, Lao PDR is seen as vulnerable and is exposed to invasion of the epidemic from its neighbouring countries. The Thai epidemic is seen as the most threatening, given the scale of the epidemic and the long border that Lao shares with the country. Migration is recognised as an important aspect, and there are several activities currently undertaken by several agencies to address the issues related to migration and HIV. Building Regional HIV Resilience was approved by the Government of Lao in 2002, is one of them. |
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| During the entire decade, ending December 2000, a total of 61,130 people were screened/ tested for HIV infection and 717 were found to be positive AIDS cases reported were 190, including 72 deaths with AIDS related illnesses. A majority of the Laotians, found to be HIV positive, were suspected to have acquired their infections through the heterosexual route. Injecting drug users in Lao are very few in number. In 2002, the cumulative number of cases reported with HIV was 1,094 out of 87,925 blood tests (male 60 percent, female 40 percent), of which 282 had AIDS, with the total of 249 AIDS-related deaths recorded. This includes 170 new HIV positive cases in 2002. |
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| The actual spread of HIV/AIDS/STD started becoming known in the Lao PDR through a national second generation behavioural and biological surveillance programme, conducted in five provinces in 2000-2001. Surveillance of high risk group which in Lao PDR is felt to include commercial ‘service women’ and their partners. The term ‘service women’ usually refers to women who serve in small drink shops and nightclubs and may engage in commercial sex transactions. Findings then showed that 6 of 811 female service workers in entertainment sites were HIV positive and the total sexually transmitted infection rate of 54% was higher than reported anywhere in South East Asia. |
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| A 2005 study reveals that about two-thirds of HIV cases have been occurring in two areas (the capital, Vientiane, and Savannakhet). Among women who work in venues that also provide sexual services, prevalence of gonorrhea is high (13-14%) and, in Vientiane and Savannakhet about 1% of the women have tested HIV-positive. According to one recent behavioural study quoted in the 2005 UNAIDS report, in Vientiane young men have become sexually more active in the recent past. About 60% of them had more than two female partners in the first six months of 2004, almost 10% had one or more male partners, and over 30% had paid for sex at least once. Most of the men who have sex with men also have sex with women. |
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| The second meeting of the United Nations Regional Task Force on Mobility and HIV Vulnerability Reduction was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in 2002 where deliberations were held on the vulnerability of the following mobile sections of the population to HIV: |
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- Construction workers (local and international)
- Service women who regularly move from one province to another
- Female factory workers who move from rural to urban areas
- Seasonal migrant workers who go to work in other countries
- Long distance truck drivers who stay away from their families for prolonged periods of time
- Armed forces and police
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| As Lao PDR becomes more economically integrated with neighboring countries, its vulnerability to HIV/AIDS will increase. Two major roads are planned to link the country to Yunnan province, Thailand, and Vietnam. The construction of these roads will attract many migrant workers. After the construction is completed, the mobility of trucks and workers through the country will increase. |
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| A presumptive treatment was carried out in early 2003 for service women in four provinces, in collaboration with Family Health International (FHI). The poverty reduction fund from Japan will focus on mobile populations at potentially high HIV transmission areas. |
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| As NGO response to this issue, “The National Road Eight HIV Prevention Programme” is conducted by the Burnet Institute, in partnership with Lao Youth Union, PCCA and District Project Working Team, funded by SIDA. The project intervention site shares a border with Viet Nam (Hatinh province), with easy access to Cua Lo port (Nghe An province). |
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| UNDP HIV and Development Programme Regional Programme South-East Asia has is addressing many issues. Also since Lao PDR joined ASEAN, the government has been working on to strengthen the network and cooperation with neighbouring countries. |
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| The recent findings underline the need for a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy that includes improved treatment services for sexually transmitted infections. |
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| Estimates |
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| Figures |
| Value | Year | Source | | 3,700 | 2005 | UNAIDS Global AIDS Report 2006 | | 3,600 | 2005 | UNAIDS Global AIDS Report 2006 | | <1000 | 2005 | UNAIDS Global AIDS Report 2006 | | -- | -- | -- | | <100 | 2005 | UNAIDS Global AIDS Report 2006 | | -- | -- | -- |
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| Estimated Number
of HIV cases (Adults and children) |
| Adults (15-49 years) |
| Women (15-49) |
| Children |
| Esimated number
of deaths due to AIDS |
| Estimated Number
of AIDS orphans |
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| The
National Response |
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| The National Committee for the Control of AIDS (NCCA) was established in1988, comprising representatives from various ministries of the government. The National AIDS Programme (NAP) oversees programmes in information, communication education; training; surveillance; and counselling and functions under the ambit of the NACC Secretariat. |
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| The Government of Lao PDR has developed the National HIV/AIDS/STD Policy (2001), and the National Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS/STD covering 2002-2005. The national HIV/AIDS programmes are coordinated by the National Committee for Control of AIDS Bureau (NCCAB) under the Ministry of Health. Chaired by the Minister of Health, the NCCAB consists of 14 members and 12 line ministries and mass organizations. Each province also has a provincial committee for the control of HIV chaired by the provincial governor or the vice governor. |
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| The National Policy on HIV/AIDS has three
main pillars: |
- Prevention of HIV infection;
- Care and support for those infected and affected; and
- Mitigation of the adverse impact of HIV/AIDS on the social
and economic development of individuals and the nation.
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| The National Action Plan on HIV/AIDS/STD
(2002-2005), developed by NCCAB and its provincial bodies (PCCAs)
in May 2002, has a strong focus on prevention and advocacy,
and addresses five top programme priority issues: |
- Surveillance of HIV/STD and research
- STD prevention and treatment
- Prevention of HIV among service women
- Prevention of HIV among mobile populations
- Prevention of HIV among youth (in and out of school)
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| Other priority issues include, condom promotion and availability; prevention of HIV through ensuring blood safety; care and support of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA); prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child; and prevention of HIV among the general population and ethnic minorities. Activities both for the vulnerable groups and for the general population include peer education and life skills training. |
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In October 2005, t he Government of Lao PDR mounted a comprehensive response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, by signing a 3 -year programme with the UNDP to enhance capacity for a multi-sectoral response to HIV/AIDS in the country.
The Lao Government’s multisectoral programme seeks to assist the enhancement of national response to HIV/AIDS through various mechanisms:
• Mainstreaming and integrating responses on HIV within different line ministries through the creation of multi-sectoral working groups and interactive platforms
• Empowering People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) through greater involvement and
partnership, which brings organizations and government together for a meaningful response to HIV/AIDS
• Developing an effective advocacy and communication strategy for optimal impact and
coverage at national and provincial levels of government, across the various line Ministries.
• Addressing the specific vulnerabilities of farmers and their families, through a targeted initiative in collaboration with the Ministry and Agriculture and Forestry and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). |
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| The HIV/AIDS Trust, also set up in 1998, co-ordinates and mobilises resources and facilitates management of the NAP. The Trust Management Committee is chaired by the vice minister of health and is composed of senior government, and United Nations officials and a donor representative. This has provided some baseline data on HIV and STI and risk behaviour. The HIV/AIDS Trust provides a mechanism to mobilize, coordinate and decentralize resources in order to provide strategic assistance to the implementation of National HIV/AIDS Plan. The main goal of the planning process is to strengthen partnerships between key implementing agencies, such as the various ministries, Provincial Committees for the Control of AIDS, and mass organizations, such as Lao Women Union (LWU) and Lao Youth Union (LYU). |
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| The objectives of the Trust include |
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- Strengthening the role of the National Committee of the Control of AIDS (NCCA) in managing and monitoring the implementation of the National Plan on HIV/AIDS.
- Mobilizing resources for the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Plan.
- Developing provincial strategies on HIV prevention and care.
- Mainstreaming HIV issues and promoting synergies across Ministries
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Sources:
USAID/WHO
Asian Development Bank’s Country Report on Lao PDR
HIV/AIDS in Lao PDR, a report under the Synergy Project, prepared for USAID
Speech of Minister of Public Health, Lao PDR, at the 26th special session of the United Nations General Assembly on HIV/AIDS, 25 to 27 June, 2001
Millennium Development Goals Report, 2004 |
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| National Strategic and Action Plan (2006-2010) |
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| UN
Support |
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| UNDP helps build national capacity
to work in areas not normally associated with public heath,
such as the transport sector, education facilities and the media.
Moreover, a Lao HIV/AIDS Trust, supported by UNDP has been set
up.The HIV/AIDS Trust provided an effective mechanism to mobilize,
coordinate and decentralize resources. The National HIV/AIDS
Strategy and its Action Plan were developed by the support from
Trust as well. |
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The main target in the planning process is
to develop multi-sectoral approach and to strengthen the partnership
with the key implementing agencies, such as line Ministries,
Provincial Committees for the Control of AIDS, mass organizations. |
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| The objectives of the project are: |
- To strengthen the role of the National Committee of the
Control of AIDS (NCCA) in managing and monitoring the implementation
of National Strategy and Action Plan;
- To strengthen the capacity of the NCCA Bureau;
- To mobilize resources ; and
- To develop both sectoral and provincial strategies and
work plans .
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| The UNDP has listed some achievements of 2005. These include a 3-year programme which the government of Lao PDR has signed with UNDP for enhancing capacity for a multi sectoral response to HIV/AIDS, implementation of the Core National Programmes including sentinel sero-surveillance, behavioural surveillance, social marketing of condoms and care and support programmes for people living with AIDS, strengthening of the National HIV Programme and networks of PLWHA affected empowered to influence HIV related policies. |
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| Through a process of dialogue and discussions, UNDP hopes to create innovative responses or breakthroughs and it explores the importance of instilling hope amidst mounting challenges. Positive outlooks and supportive actions that reduce existing biases and which lead to the reduction of discriminatory practices are paramount. The programme also seeks to reduce and
progressively eliminate the shame, fear and silence that have come to dominate the lives of those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. To this effect, a workshop on leadership was held in capital Vientiane was held in January 2006.
It is envisaged that leaders from across all levels of society will be able to shift public perceptions within their own constituencies and spheres of influence, through encouraging a process of transformation both at the individual and institutional levels, and will hence be able to create new solutions that can ultimately help reverse the epidemic. |
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| UN Offices |
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| UNDP ( United Nations
Development Programme ) |
UNAIDS (Joint United
Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS ) |
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| Phonekheng Road 01004,
PO Box 345, Vientiane, Lao PDR.
Tel: (856 -21) 21 3390-7, Fax: (856-21) 212029
Email: info.lao@undp.org
or registry.la@undp.org
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PO Box 345
Phon Kheng Road
Vientiane, the Lao PDR
Tel: 856 21 213394-97
Fax: 856 21 214819/212029 |
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| UNICEF ( United Nations Children
Fund ) |
UNFPA ( United Nations Population
Fund ) |
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Vientiane, the Lao PDR
PO Box 1080
Tel: 856 21 31 52 00-4
Fax: 856 21 31 48 53
E-mail:
vientiane@unicef.org |
UNFPA Lao PDR Vientiane
Ban Phonesavanh Tai, House No. 011, Unit 01
PO Box 345
Sisattanak District Vientiane
Lao PDR
Tel: (856 21) 315547, 353049
Fax: (856 21) 353051
E-mail: unfpa.fo.laos@undp.org |
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| WHO ( World Health
Organization ) |
WORLD BANK |
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That Luang Road
Ban Phonxay
P.O. Box 343
Vientiane
Lao P.D.R.
E-mail: who@lao.wpro.who.int
Tel.: (+ 856) (21) 413 431, 414 264, 413 023
Fax: (+ 856) (21) 413 432 |
World Bank Country Office, Vientiane
Patou Xay - Nehru Road
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Phone: (856-21) 414-209
extension: 266
Fax: (856-21) 414-210 |
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| Sources: UN Agencies,
World bank, UNAIDS Epidemiological Fact Sheet - 2000, Census
of India - 2001, NACO-India Responds to HIV/AIDS |
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| * The map presented here is sourced from UNODC.
YouandAIDS is not liable for any dispute, other countries in
the region or elsewhere in the world, organizations or individual
might raise. |
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| Web Resources |
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| Government Website |
| No official site |
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| UN Agencies |
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| UNDP |
| UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. |
| http://www.undplao.org/ |
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| UNAIDS |
| UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, brings together the efforts and resources of ten UN system organisations to the global AIDS response. |
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| World Health Organisation |
| The World Health Organization is the United Nations specialized agency for health. WHO's objective, as set out in its Constitution, is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. |
| http://www.who.int/countries/lao/en/ |
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| World Bank |
| The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. We are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 184 member countries—the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). |
| www.worldbank.org/lao |
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| National and International Organisations |
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| Adventist Development and Relief Agency |
| The mission of Adventist Development and Relief Agency is to reflect the character of God through humanitarian and development activities and actively support communities through a portfolio of development activities which are planned and implemented cooperatively. |
| www.adralao.org |
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| Australian Red Cross |
| Australian Red Cross aims to improve the lives of vulnerable people in Australia and internationally by mobilising the power of humanity. ARC is extensively working on issues related to HIV in Laos PDR. |
| www.redcross.org.au |
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| CARE International |
| CARE International`s mission is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. Drawing strength from our global diversity, resources and experience, we promoted innovative solutions and are advocates for global responsibility. |
| www.careinternational.org.uk/CARE+in+Indonesia+3527.twl |
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| AUSAID |
| Australia, through AusAID, works with other governments, the United Nations, Australian companies and non-government organisations to design and set up projects which tackle the causes and consequences of poverty in developing counties. |
| http://www.ausaid.gov.au/country/country.cfm?CountryID=35&Region=EastAsia |
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| CIDA |
| The objective of the CIDA program is to facilitate the efforts of the people of developing countries to achieve self-sustainable economic and social development in accordance with their needs and environment, by cooperating with them in developing activities; and to provide humanitarian assistance, thereby contributing to Canada's political and economic interests abroad in promoting social justice, international stability and long-term relationships for the benefit of the global community. |
| www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/ |
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| Médicins Sans Frontières(MSF) |
| MSF is an independent humanitarian medical aid agency committed to providing medical aid wherever needed, regardless of race, religion, politics or sex and raising awareness of the plight of people they help. |
| http://www.msf.org/ |
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| Other resources |
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| MDG Report |
| http://www.undplao.org/Report/NHDR%20final.pdf |
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| National Human Development Report 2004: Security with a Human Face |
| http://www.undplao.org/Report/NHDR%20final.pdf |
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