(MENAFN- The Peninsula) New York: The State of Qatar affirmed the allocation of a large part of its international development assistance to the least developed countries, and expressed its aspiration to host the United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in March 2021.
This came in the statement of the State of Qatar, delivered by Tamim Khalid Al Mansouri, a member of the Qatari delegation taking part in the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, before the Second Committee on Item 21: Groups of Countries in Special Situations.
Al Mansouri said that the least developed countries (LDCs) represent a tremendous human and natural resource capacity for global economic growth, well-being, prosperity and food security, as pointed out by the Istanbul Program of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020, which constitutes an important framework for overcoming the structural challenges faced by LDCs.
He noted the report of the UN Secretary-General under this item which stressed the importance of redoubling efforts to accelerate progress towards the goals and objectives of the Program of Action and to enhance synergies with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its goals.
He added that the State of Qatar has a proven track record in supporting the LDCs with much of its international development assistance being allocated to these countries. In line with this belief, and in line with its belief in the need to pay the utmost attention to respond to the needs and priorities of the LDCs and to achieve inclusive and sustainable development, the State of Qatar looks forward to host the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in March 2021, and ensuring that this Conference builds on the experience gained and provides a positive momentum for the sustainable development of the least developed countries.
In this regard, the State of Qatar looks forward to cooperating with all partners to make this conference a success, which will be an important contribution to the common endeavors to identify new challenges, opportunities and means to address them.
Given the global nature of climate change and the need for effective international cooperation and response, the State of Qatar announced at the Climate Action Summit, held in Doha in September, the contribution of $100 million to support LDCs and the Small Island Developing States SIDS to cope with climate change, Al Mansouri noted, stressing that this contribution stems from the belief of the State of Qatar that there is a role for all to address this phenomenon, which is an obstacle to moving forward in the process of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
He explained that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development paid attention to Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC) and highlighted the particular challenges faced in the pursuit of sustainable development, and also stressed the importance of implementing the Vienna Program of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the decade 2014 to 2024.
He noted that Qatar looks forward to participating in the comprehensive high-level midterm review on the implementation of the Vienna Program of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries, due to be held in December 2019, which would be an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment to strengthen cooperation and support for landlocked developing countries in the context of sustainable development.
He underlined that the State of Qatar will continue its efforts to remain a platform for cooperation between all countries and parties that believe in the importance of joint action to meet the challenges. He commended the efforts made by the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) in raising the awareness and highlighting the special challenges facing these countries.
MENAFN2010201900630000ID1099151779
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.