There are 46 least developed countries.
The Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Qatar will witness the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration by the end of the week-long event.
The announcement was made by the Gulf state’s Permanent Representative to the UN Sheikha Alya Al Thani on Sunday in a press conference on the sidelines of the LDC5.
The Qatari official noted that the adoption of the declaration also reinforces the Reinforces Doha Programme of Action (DPoA), an agreement aimed at helping least developed countries prosper.
“This is a highly ambitious document. As we have heard today in many of the statements during the opening sessions and the following preliminaries[…]to help LDC’s recover from the pandemic and achieve the 2030 agenda for sustainable development,” Sheikha Alya said.
Adopted last year, the DPOA is an agreement aimed at bringing the 46 most vulnerable countries back under the global spotlight.
During the conference, which is held every 10 years, Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani unveiled a $60 million contribution to the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (DPoA).
Sheikha Alya noted that the LDC5 is the biggest UN conference to be held since the Covid-19 outbreak.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has reversed hard-won development gains and hurt progress towards achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, leading to the loss of life and negatively impacting health and education,” she said.
Sheikha Alya added that least developed countries have been the hardest hit by the pandemic, after the targeted countries suffered from the aftermath of conflict and climate change.
The Qatari official called on officials to implement the DPoA.
“We count on you to keep helping us promote the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action, this is an important opportunity for the international community to reinforce firm commitments and launch civic support measures to the LDC’s,” Sheikha Alya said.
Some of the deliverables of the DPoA includes the establishment of an online university and implementing a resilience building mechanism for the countries.
According to the UN, there are 46 least developed countries.
Seeking to provide a more sustainable plan for the targeted countries, Microsoft has been a key partner with the conference.
Speaking alongside Sheikha Alya, Brad Smith, Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President, stressed the importance of investing in people for more sustainable growth among least developed countries.
“We see young people who, if given the opportunity to invest in themselves with greater skills, having the opportunity not just to contribute to their home countries’ economic growth, but to the growth of the global economy as well,” Smith said.
