Similarly, UXO’s impact on socio-economic development and on the achievement of the SDGs are well articulated in Lao PDR’s UXO Sector Five-Year Plan 2016–2020. The Plan, in addition, identifies SDG 18 ‘Lives Safe from UXO’ as “the vision of UXO Sector in Lao PDR to 2030”. 77 In 2018, Lao PDR developed its first sector-wide annual workplan, for clearance in 2019, in an inclusive manner with inputs from all relevant stakeholders. 78 Later, in September 2020, the NRA held a workshop with all UXO operators, for the very first UXO sector-wide annual workplan for every UXO activity for the year 2021. 79 Analyses of Lao PDR’s UXO annual sectoral reports 80 starting from 2015, showed a number of associations between the UXO sector and development, indicating Lao PDR’s commitment and efforts to ensure alignment between UXO action, and development. In addition, the research found that there is a better understanding of the role of the UXO sector in Lao PDR and that, as a result, the government of Lao PDR is now embracing its mine action strategy and is ready to implement it. 81
GICHD strategic planning and prioritisation workshop, BiH, 2016
Part 2 – Are the Sustainable Development Goals being used by the mine action sector? 25
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