10-Year Partnership Commitment for LDCs Renewed and Strengthened, UN Leaders Say

Doha, Qatar - The United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries, which kicked off on Friday, has set in motion a ten-year commitment for renewed and strengthened partnerships between the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and developed nations, as well as the private sector and civil society, writes Matiisetso Mosala.

At the opening of the world leaders' summit, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to step up and support LDCs, which he said are being stranded amidst a rising tide of crisis, debt, climate chaos, and deep global injustice.

"LDCs are deprived of liquidity, are locked out of the capital markets by predatory interest rates, and are further deprived of effective debt relief," said outgoing Chair of the LDC Group President Lazarus Chakwera, who is also president of Malawi.

Chakwera stressed that countries cannot be allowed to fall back down the development ladder after working so hard to climb up, despite being held back by processes and decisions that were made far beyond their borders.

He added that most developed countries are falling short of their promise to provide 0.15-0.20 percent of their gross national income to LDCs, leaving them victims of the cruellest support systems.

Rabab Fatima, UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States, reiterated Chakwera’s sentiments, stating that LDCs are hit hardest by shocks and are the least equipped to cope.

"It is at LDC-5 that the world is gathering to build a new model of partnership to help move the LDCs from countries with the potential to countries that enjoy true prosperity for all," said Fatima.

Speaking at the summit, the Deputy Prime Minister of Lesotho, Justice Nthomeng Majara highlighted the structural challenges faced by LDCs, including Lesotho, which is geographically landlocked and located within one country, making it landlocked and possibly the only country with this double jeopardy.

Majara urged development partners to upscale advocacy on private support to development agencies for LDCs to effectively respond to external shocks.

She called on the international community and international financial institutions to scale up their support for capacity-building programmes, that foster regional and sub-regional integration, with special attention to LDCs.

"The United Nations is in the midst of these injustices, working to develop smooth transition strategies, based on tailored support for the graduation process of LDCs," said Guterres.

The ten-year commitment aims to address the unique challenges faced by LDCs and promote sustainable development that benefits all.