UN conferences on LDCs have helped mobilize int’l support for development of LDCs: Ambassador Bairagi

Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Shanker D. Bairagi, highlighted the important role the United Nations has been playing for the development of the least developed countries.

Addressing the closing plenary of the Conference in his capacity as the Coordinator of the LDC Group, Bairagi said the successive UN conferences on LDCs have helped highlight their structural constraints and vulnerabilities and mobilise international support for their development.

Referring to the last minute agreements on a number contentious issues to be included in the outcome document of the Conference, the Permanent Representative stated that the consensus in Doha is the manifestation of the collective commitment of the international community to work for a better future for all, including the most impoverished and destitute. He stressed that as countries with widespread poverty and overall backwardness, the LDCs always attach high importance to development conferences and it was with this conviction they participated in the Conference.

The Ambassador thanked all delegations, including the development partners, for the flexibilities, understanding and accommodative spiritshown during the negotiation process, in particular on the needs and concerns of the LDCs. He expressed hope that the Conference outcome will contribute meaningfully in the process of implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action for the LDCs which envisions to enable half of the LDCs to reach the level of graduation from the LDC category by 2020.

The Thirteenth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIII) concluded Thursday in Doha, Qatar by adopting an outcome document termed the 'Doha Mandate'.

Agreed after months of tough negotiations, the Doha Mandate provides guidelines for the work and functioning of the UNCTAD for the next four years. The Conference also adopted by Consensus a political declaration entitled the 'Doha Manar' – 'Manar' is an Arabic word meaning the 'guiding light'. nepalnews.com