| Overview : The main objective of the assignment is to support MoLSW and MoF to examine the potential to secure funding through various transnational financial products to capitalize the proposed NSPF. The consultancy will explore regional capital markets; namely Thailand, China, Hong Kong and Singapore in the context of bonds and other debt financing instruments that can be accessed by the Government of Laos. This assignment will also complete a stocktake of existing general obligation and revenue bonds issued by the Government Lao PDR or any government entities and provide a succinct trend analysis of associated credit ratings. UNCDF is currently implementing a project that is developing financing solutions for supply side capital to enable the Government of Laos to efficiently deliver on their social protection commitments as outlined within the National Social Protection Policy. This project is funded by the UN Secretary General Sustainable Development Goals Fund (UN-SDGF) providing focus for social protection through SDG acceleration and attainment of SDG targets. Lao PDR is currently implementing an austerity regime in terms of public sector finance. The government is embarked on a broad consolidation of the public budget that is minimising expenditure, optimising revenues whilst at the same time still delivering and maintaining public services. The consolidation is following a strict monetary and fiscal policy that is aimed at reducing budget defects to less that 4% that will enable the government to maintain macro-economic stability and meet existing debt service obligations. The consultancy opportunity is funded through the above mention project and aims at assessing the current appetites held in the regions capital markets to providing debt to enable capitalization of the National Social Protection Fund (NSPF) as outlined in the governments National Social Protection Strategy (NSPS). The consultancy will be implemented through a mix of activities to be carried out in Thailand and Lao PDR and out-reach research into neighboring capital markets (China and Singapore). For further details, please click this link: https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?job_id=91512. | 
