Participants in the first session of the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, which was devoted to celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Group of Least Developed Countries under the slogan “A New Generation of Partnerships for Progress,” stressed that the “Doha Program” to assist the least developed countries is the cornerstone of partnerships. The new, which the least developed countries aspire to build and hold at the international level.
During the session moderated by HE Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, they pointed out that today the least developed countries in the world are in a race against time to achieve the goals of sustainable development by 2030, noting that the remaining years need to enter into a new global partnership to ensure These 46 countries benefit from social, economic and environmental development. In this context, Her Excellency Mrs. Rabab Fatima, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, said: The next decade begins with a new strategy, to be established in Qatar through the “Doha Programme”, which will help these countries To avoid shocks in the face of the challenges it is witnessing, as work is being done during this plan to increase by two times the volume of exports these countries and other measures.
She recalled the historical stages that the category of least developed countries (LDCs) went through since 1971 by the United Nations General Assembly with the aim of attracting special international support for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the United Nations family, saying: Since then, the international community has put in place concrete and quantifiable support measures. to least developed countries in official development assistance, trade, climate change, technology transfer and related fields". The UN official stressed that everyone hopes to continue supporting the most fragile countries in the world, especially since the global development landscape has changed in the past fifty years, noting that ongoing crises such as the Corona pandemic (Covid-19), climate change and conflicts threaten to set back many years. of hard-won progress in least developed countries. And she continued: "These factors show the need for the international community to review the long development experience of LDCs and stimulate a renewed path as this commemorative event is an opportunity to do so, and a key moment to provide services to the most vulnerable group of countries.". In her turn, Her Excellency Mariam Chabi Talata, Vice President of the Republic of Benin, said: The least developed countries are at the forefront of receiving the shocks and challenges facing the current era, especially since their contribution to the international gross domestic product does not exceed 2 percent, and by 1 percent in world trade. The Vice-President of the Republic of Benin stressed that the exit of the least developed countries from this category is a priority, and everyone is working towards this end, stressing that the Doha Work Program falls into this category, calling for studying the mechanisms that limited the graduation of countries from the group of least developed countries, and enabling them to Resilience, and facing challenges in the horizon of 2030. The Beninese official gave a presentation on the reform experience in her country, and the government’s action programs to achieve development. In turn, HE Narayan Kaji Shrestha Prakash, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Nepal, said: Achieving low rates of development is not only due to structural problems in the least developed countries, but also lies with the global economic system. added: "We must move forward in building a new generation of partnerships in order to achieve progress, and here the Doha Program represents the new direction". The Nepalese official stressed the need for greater cooperation from the international community in order to establish a new generation of partnerships. On the other hand, Her Excellency Mrs. Natasha Burke Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenia, stressed the importance of science and technology in raising the challenges and problems facing the least developed countries. The President of Slovenia called for the need to adhere to the implementation of what is agreed upon in order to help the least developed countries, recalling the support provided by the European Union to many segments belonging to this category, especially youth and women.
