Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,
H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis,
Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Group of LDCs
[as delivered]
21 September 2023
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Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
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Thank you for your kind invitation to today’s meeting, which convenes precisely six months after the Fifth Conference on Least Developed?Countries,?graciously hosted by the State of Qatar in Doha in March of this year.
Let me begin by extending my thanks to?His Excellency Mr. Narayan Prakash Saud, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal and Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the?LDCs, for his steadfast championning of the causes of the group.
I would be remiss not to extend my most heartfelt thanks to USG and High Representative Rabab Fatima whose tireless and fearless work is an inspiration to us all.
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Excellencies,
No group of nations has been more profoundly impacted by the “3 C’s” – Covid-19, Conflicts, and the Cost of food and energy – than the world’s Least Developed Countries.
Even prior to the pandemic, many?LDCs?were already facing challenges in their pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. But, the successive waves of global crises have not only eroded but, in some cases, reversed decades of hard-earned development progress.
Against this backdrop the Doha Programme of Action is a vital roadmap for?LDCs?to overcome the challenges posed by the global crises, to build resilience, and to make strides towards the achievement of the SDGs.
From investing in people, harnessing science and technology to combat vulnerabilities, and supporting structural transformation to address climate change and foster solidarity – the Doha Programme of Action outlines key priorities and deliverables.
It is our collective responsibility to ensure its successful implementation.
But, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Development partners have made unequivocal commitments in the Doha Programme of Action, reinforced by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. As we stand at the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda, they?must?now move to fulfil these commitments.
This time requires urgent solidarity and cooperation.
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Excellencies,
The LDC agenda, in particular, will be a priority of my Presidency, and I will ensure it is consistently and seamlessly integrated into the Assembly’s discussions on Sustainable Development.
This Ministerial Meeting holds the key to renewed global commitment in support of the?LDCs, and I am confident you?can?deliver. On my end, I pledge to regularly?convene with the board of advisors on?LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS, in an effort to galvanize support, solutions, progress and sustainability.
The declaration adopted today will chart our collective goals and actions for the upcoming session, and up to 2030.
My Office stands ready to support you in this endeavour, and I eagerly anticipate your valuable contributions to the discussions throughout the 78th session.
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Thank you.