UNLDC-5 Will Help Meet Needs Of Least Developed Countries: Qatar

QNA Geneva Qatar has affirmed that hosting the 5th Conference on the Least Developed Countries (UNLDC-5) comes within its keenness to support these countri...

QNAGenevaQatar has affirmed that hosting the 5th Conference on the Least Developed Countries (UNLDC-5) comes within its keenness to support these countries in their efforts to meet the challenges and obstacles they face to achieve sustainable development.Qatar also expressed confidence that the conference will contribute to meeting the needs of the least developed countries and support their path towards achieving development for the next ten years in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.This came in the speech of Qatar delivered by Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva Ambassador HE Ali bin Khalfan Al Mansouri during the high-level opening session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Review Meeting on the Implementation of the Istanbul Program of Action in Preparation for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (UNLDC-5), being held from August 30 to September 2, 2021 at the United Nations European Headquarters in Geneva.Al Mansouri expressed his happiness to participate in this important meeting, which takes place in the framework of preparations for the 5th Conference on the Least Developed Countries (UNLDC-5), which will be hosted in Doha in January 2022.Al Mansouri said that he is honoured to convey the wishes of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani that the work of this meeting will be crowned with success, and thanking all those who participated in organising the conference.He added that they are pleased to open the work of this meeting to move forward in the coming days in the process of a comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of the Istanbul Program of Action for the Least Developed Countries by the countries of the Asia-Pacific region and their development partners. He added that Qatar is looking forward to the outcomes of this meeting that will enrich the discussions of the conference, in terms of exchanging best practices and learned lessons, identifying obstacles and constraints, as well as coming up with results on the necessary measures and initiatives, and identifying effective international and national policies, as well as emerging challenges and opportunities and means to address them.He said Qatar looks forward that the upcoming Doha conference will build on the experiences gained and the successes achieved in previous conferences, the latest of which is the 4th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries hosted by Turkey, which played an important role in achieving important steps implemented through the Istanbul Program of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the decade 2011-2020, which Qatar must benefit from and build on during the next decade.He stated that, undoubtedly, the least developed countries in the Asia-Pacific region had made significant progress in their social and economic development during the past decade, particularly in reducing income poverty and investing in human resources and infrastructure, and this enabled some of the countries in this region to meet the graduation criteria, especially the recent achievement in December 2020 with the graduation of Vanuatu from the list of least developed countries.He added that Qatar is aware that despite this progress, there is still an urgent need to meet the outstanding needs and special priorities of the least developed countries in the region.Based on Qatar’s well-known policy of cooperation and partnership with the international community, and based on its firm belief in the importance of this cooperation, especially in light of the current challenges the world is witnessing, Qatar has spared no effort to provide all forms of support to the least developed countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific region with which Qatar have strong relations within the framework of international cooperation and partnerships.He referred to the announcement of His Highness the Amir of State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during the Climate Action Summit held in September 2019, that Qatar contributed $100 million to support least developed countries and small island developing states to deal with climate change, which will contribute to supporting the endeavors of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region to overcome the challenges they face as a result of this phenomenon. He said Qatar is fully aware that the convening of the 5th Conference of the Least Developed Countries comes at a very important stage, and therefore Qatar looks forward to building the Doha Programme of Action for the next decade on the achievements made in the Istanbul Programme of Action, and to complete the achievement of the goals that are still in the process of being achieved, and that it will be a starting point and a roadmap, as the first programme of action that will address and give priority to addressing the repercussions of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the least developed countries.He thanked the group of least developed countries for submitting a comprehensive preliminary draft of the Doha Programme of Action, and looks forward to concluding negotiations on the document as soon as possible within the preparations for the organization of the conference.He extended his thanks to all the parties that cooperate with Qatar in the process of preparing for the conference, adding that he is pleased to say that despite the challenges and obstacles caused by the global health crisis, the preparation process for the conference in Doha is proceeding smoothly and according to a tight time and logistical plan to ensure the success of the conference and the safety and security of its participants.He expressed Qatar’s aspiration to actively participate in the regional review meetings for the Asia-Pacific region on the implementation of Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, leading to important outputs that contribute to the success of the 5th Conference so as to live up to the aspirations of these countries to achieve growth and prosperity.