DOHA (Reuters) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that Pakistan is committed to following the Doha Plan of Action, seeing it as a chance to advance sustainable development in LDCs.
Speaking at the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Qatar’s capital Doha, the prime minister emphasised the need of LDCS relationships with richer countries, as well as the business sector and civil society, for global development.
PM Sharif stressed the need of pursuing opportunities to achieve sustainable development in areas where foreign aid is most required. He urged the international community to work together to assist the LDCs realise their full potential and develop towards prosperity.
He said that the LDCs need significant expenditures in health, education, and social protection systems, as well as massive resources to effectively implement Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The prime minister emphasised that many LDCs were already in or were on the verge of financial difficulty. Economic suffering and vaccination inequities, he said, would make recovery times longer and more painful than necessary. He said that Pakistan was dedicated to providing safe and effective vaccinations as well as allocating money to LDCs.
He expressed grave worry that six LDCs had been designated as being under severe stress, and he noted that the poor countries deserved a social safety system. Mr Sharif emphasised the need of revamping unfair financial architecture in order to suit the unique demands of LDCs.
He recommended a system of international technology linked with SDGs to enable LDCs to grow and overcome their digital gap in order to contribute to a knowledge-based economy.
The prime minister praised the Doha Plan of Action 2031, in particular its tangible initiatives such as online colleges, a food supply system, and an investment assistance centre.
He pledged Pakistan’s strong assistance for the execution of the Doha Plan of Action within the context of south-centric cooperation.
He thanked Qatar’s Amir on the flawless organisation of the conference after the FIFA event, and stated that Qatar has further strengthened its stature in the community of nations.