Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva H E Dr. Hend Abdalrahman Al Muftah (front row second left) participating in the event.
Doha: The State of Qatar and the United Nations have had a long history of cooperation based on the success of Qatari diplomacy and confidence in Doha’s ability to organize and sponsor major international events and conferences, or to host direct bilateral or multilateral negotiations for regional countries or provide humanitarian and relief initiatives in challenging times of crises and pandemics.
Doha’s hosting and organizing of the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) - scheduled to be held in March 2023, is considered as a certificate of recognition from the UN to Qatar and evidence of the international community’s confidence in Doha as a capital with remarkable diplomatic weight.
The convening of the conference comes at an extremely critical time after the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has severely threatened the economies of major developed countries and caused a fundamental shift in the financial and development policies of the least developed countries in a way that affected their survival as countries capable of fulfilling their citizens’ obligations let alone their international obligations.
In a speech Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva H E Dr. Hend Abdalrahman Al Muftah stressed the State of Qatar’s firm support and solidarity with the least developed countries, and its keenness to make all efforts that would support these countries to achieve their legitimate aspirations for development and progress.
In her speech which was delivered during a side event organized by the permanent delegation of the State of Qatar, in cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to celebrate the anniversary of the adoption of the Doha Program of Action for Least Developed Countries, under the title” Challenges and opportunities related to human rights”, Dr Hend added that based on the foreign policy of the State of Qatar, which attaches great importance to partnership with the international community, Qatar has had the honor to chair the 5th UN Conference on Least Developed Countries, which Doha will host the meetings of the second edition during period from March 5-9, 2023.
She said that the State of Qatar aspires for the Doha Work Program for Least Developed Countries to be widely followed and implemented, and to serve as a roadmap to achieve the pledge not to leave anyone behind.
In a speech he delivered during the opening session of the first part of the 5th UN Conference on LDC, which was held in New York on March 17, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that, under the directives of HH the Amir, the State of Qatar initiated hosting the conference based on its policy on partnership with the international community, and in line with its commitment and keenness to support the issues of LDCs, in addition to Doha’s confidence that this conference will contribute to meeting the needs and priorities of these countries, and support their path towards achieving development in the next ten years. The UN, Doha’s Program of Action (DPoA) for LDCs, which was approved by the UN, is regarded as a significant step for the success of the second part of the conference, which will be held in Doha, as it will be the first program of action to address the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on LDCs by giving them the utmost priority.
The DPoA will serve as a roadmap, thanks to its important tools and measures towards change, as well as the reflection it brings upon the commitment of all partners to provide more resources and realize the full potential offered by science, technology, and innovation, leading to comprehensive development. The program would also serve as an effective tool for translating the totality of long-term promises and commitments into practical actions with the cooperation of all partners.
In his speech during the conference, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described DPoA as a representation of a “lifeline”, as it provides aid to the LDCs in the short term, achieves the goals of sustainable development in the medium term, and creates development and prosperity in the long term, saying: “The hopes, dreams, lives, and livelihoods of one-eighth of humanity rest between the pages of the Doha Program of Action.”
Guterres noted that developing countries need to invest in sectors that reduce poverty and increase resilience, such as job-creation, social protection, food security, universal healthcare, quality education and digital connectivity.
The State of Qatar has spared no effort to provide assistance and send humanitarian and relief aid to LDCs as well as friendly and brotherly countries, to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the economic growth plans of those countries.
Doha has made contributions that exceeded $140m, based on its leading role in humanitarian work and in support of international efforts to combat the pandemic, and signed a basic contribution agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) worth $10m to support the organization’s program of action and the initiative to accelerate the availability of tools to combat COVID-19 in the countries most in need.
