UNICEF Provides IT Equipment to the Government of Lao PDR To Address the Impact of COVID-19

Vientiane, 20 October – UNICEF Lao PDR today handed over equipment to key the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICT) to further strengthen UNICEF’s cooperation with the Government of Lao PDR in promoting children and women’s rights and wellbeing in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The equipment provided by UNICEF consist of five sets of teleconference equipment to MICT which will be distributed to the Mass Media Department, Lao National Television, The Vientiane Times newspaper, KPL newspaper and Pasaxon newspaper.

The handover ceremony for the equipment was held at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and was attended by H.E Mr Savankhone Razmountry, Deputy Minister of MICT and Ms Pia Britto, Representative of UNICEF Lao PDR.

“With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic globally, the need to provide information and to raise awareness about COVID-19 prevention and control measures and hygiene practices has become increasingly vital in addressing the impacts of the pandemic on both children and women. The equipment provided will therefore contribute to strengthening the coordination of work between the Government of Lao PDR and UNICEF and other development partners in country and globally. This will also help adapt our working partnership to the new-normal conditions imposed by the pandemic,” said H.E. Mr. Savankhone Razmountry, Deputy Minister of MICT.  

 “UNICEF is strongly committed to supporting the Government of Lao PDR in effectively handling the COVID-19 pandemic response and has also previously supported the Government with medical, WASH and recreational supplies as well. UNICEF hopes that the supported IT equipment will contribute to strengthening UNICEF’s ongoing cooperation with MICT to ensure the rights and welfare of Lao women and children are protected during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Stated Mr David Duncan, Acting Deputy Representative of UNICEF Lao PDR.

UNICEF also provided three sets of teleconference equipment to MOFA and six sets of teleconference equipment and 50 sets of loudspeaker system to LWU, which will be distributed to 50 villages in Savannakhet, Saravane and Sekong where people face the highest risk from the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNICEF also provided MOFA, MICT and LWU with Zoom licenses to enable them to use the cloud-based video conferencing service to host large-sized online meetings as a means of addressing the social distancing difficulties associated with organising large-scale in-person meetings.