Lao PDR–U.S. International and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Integration (USAID LUNA II), a four-year activity funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), helps Lao PDR further integrate into the global economy by supporting officials to develop and implement sound, modern, transparent and inclusive economic policies and regulations.

Natural resource extraction has helped fuel, on average, a 7.5 percent annual GDP growth rate in Lao PDR over the past 10 years; however, the country’s per capita income remains low at about $1,500 with poverty levels among the highest in Southeast Asia. Integration within the global economy helps generate sustainable trade and investment, and creates the conditions for improved access to economic opportunities and higher incomes across Lao society. Higher incomes are essential for Lao PDR to reach its goal of achieving middle-income country status by 2020.