Ambassador Bairagi addresses Civil Society meeting on IPoA in Ethiopia

Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Shanker D. Bairagi, addressed Wednesday the opening session of the Africa LDC Civil Society Regional Strategy Assembly towards Implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries being held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Speaking in Nepal's capacity as the Global Coordinator of the Group of Least Developed Countries, Ambassador Bairagi appreciated the important role played by civil society organizations in advancing the LDC agenda. He emphasized that the civil society should serve as a vital and proactive force in debating, campaigning, lobbying and advocating on the need of effective implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action.

The Ambassador highlighted that the LDCs are characterized by multiple constraints including low per capita income, low level of human development and structural handicaps as well as extreme vulnerabilities to external shocks. He underscored that these constraints can be overcome only through the multi-stakeholder engagements and efforts in which the civil society has vital complementary role along with the government and the private sector.

Stating that the much-needed structural transformation of LDCs has remained very limited so far and their vulnerability to external shocks has not been reduced, the Permanent Representative stressed that the time has come to think out of the box, as “business-as-usual” approach will not be an option.

Bairagi highlighted the need of devising new international support architecture to support the development of LDCs. The purpose of such architecture is to include and mobilize the international support measures in all areas including ODA, FDI, trade, debt relief and technology transfer in a holistic and complimentary manner, he explained.

A two-day event, the Africa LDC Civil Society Regional Strategy Assembly has been jointly organized by the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island developing States (UN-OHRLLS), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and LDC Watch. The Assembly aims to draw up the campaign and advocacy strategies of LDC civil society in the context of the global planned reviews of the Millennium Development Goals and the Istanbul Programme of Action. Nepalnews.com