Doha, Qatar — Two high-profile officials of the United Nations, Ambassador Christine N. Umutoni, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Liberia and Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Deputy Special Representatives of the UN Secretary General in South Sudan say it will require the collective effort of Government of Liberia, civil society organizations and the private sector, along with the UN and development partners to ensure the successful implementation of the Doha Programme of Action (DPOA).
Over 5,000 leaders, civil society organizations, private sector from the Least Developed Countries (LCDs) and the UN convened in Doha, the Capital of the Gulf State of Qatar last week for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) to reaffirm their commitments to deliveron the DPOA, a ten-year plan to put the world's 46 most vulnerable countries back on track to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ambassador Umutoni, who coordinates the affairs of the United Nations' activities in Liberia told FrontPage Africa at the conference that the successful implementation of the Doha Program of Action starts with its alignment with the government's national development agenda.
"The meeting on the Least Developed Countries and what can be done to graduate- to move from potential to prosperity really speaks to the people of the land, to the government, civil society, private sector, the UN and other bilateral and multilateral agencies on the ground," Amb. Umutoni said.
Continuing, she said: "And I think the commitment here is that every government wants to incorporate this in its own development plan. So, for example, Liberia will have its five, ten or fifteen-year development plan. Within that plan, it must be aligned with the Doha Programme of Action. And in the way, it is aligned with the SDGS, and the Agenda 2063."
The adoption of the DPOA comes as the Liberian Government's flagship development plan, the Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) approaches it final stage and will be followed by the adoption of a new agenda.
Madam Umutoni said the crafting of Liberia's next development plan should be a unique opportunity for the government, civil society and the private sector to sit together and align the plan with the DPOA.
'Political will is Keen'
During the conference, the UN Resident Coordinators and National Focal Points in a meeting called on Government to exercise political will for the successful implementation of the DPOA. Madam Umutoni reemphasized the call.
"Since Liberia is going to be revising its own development plan at the end of the existing one, I think that's an opportune moment for the government, the civil society, the private sector to sit together and then during this planning process, agreed on what are the things that they are going to prioritize which will help the implementation of this action plan. And that political will and commitment is very key, resources to do that are very key, but I think first and foremost is aligning the vision of the country to the action plan."
Ambassador Umutoni of Rwanda took up assignment in February this year following her appointment as the UN Resident Coordinator for Liberia by Secretary General Antonio Guterres, replacing Mr. Niels Scott.
She said the UN is working with the Liberian Government to deliver its (government) development drive. Her role, she said, is to rally the entire UN family including all the agencies and their respective programs to align to one country framework.
"The UN works with the government, and there is a national steering committee to ensure that these things are implemented. There are monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in place to take stock of what is going on. And also, we have regular meetings that bring together the UN, partners and the government together to see where we are in this process."
The overarching message by the UN and LDCs' leaders including the head of the Liberian delegation Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah was call on wealthy nations and financial institutions to increase their support to LDCs' countries by addressing the injustice in lending out money to rich and developing countries.
In his address, Minister Kemayah stated that to ensure the successful implementation of the Doha Program of Action, the international and development financing partners of LDCs and financial institutions should ensure "comprehensive debt relief as a necessary imperative for debt distressed Least Developed Countries."
Backing the call, Madam Sara Beysolow Nyanti said while she cannot directly talk about Liberia's role in implementing the DPOA in her capacity as the Deputy Special Representatives of the UN Secretary General Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, she agreed with the UN and LDC leaders' call for the disparity in loan arrangement to be addressed.
"We also have strategic approaches to ensure that we tackle the key issues facing governments right now, which is the issues of high rate of interest in borrowing," Amb. Nyanti said.
"Developed countries are borrowing at one to two percent interest rate but Least Developed Countries are borrowing at 10 percent and even more," Madam Beysolow, who hails from Liberia added.
She called for an overhaul of the international financial institutions to reflect the dreams and aspirations of all countries - whether rich or poor, saying to "look at how they support nations building, in these least developed countries to ensure that they lift people out of poverty and shorten the gap between the rich and the poor, urban and rural, and men and women."
At a roundtable with civil society and UN Resident Coordinator, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed called for a cordial relationship amongst the CSOs, government and the UN in each of the LDCs for the successful delivery of the plan.
'Multilateralism is alive'
Held under the theme 'From Potential to Prosperity' the conference aimed to drive transformational change to positively affect the 1.2 billion people who live in the LDCs.
Bold commitments were made at the conference, something the UN said marked a transformative turning point for the world's poorest countries, whose development has been hindered by crises including COVID-19, climate change and deepening inequalities.
Qatar, the host nation announced a financial package of US$60 million, with US$10m to support the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action and US$50 million to help build resilience in the LDCs.
Germany dedicated Ꞓ200 million in new money in 2023 for financing for least developed countries, Canada announced US$59 million to deliver Vitamin supplements in 15 LDCs and ecosystem conservation in Burkina Faso and the EU Commission announced cooperation agreements advancing sustainable investments in Africa totalling more than Ꞓ130 million of investment.
Finland announced an annual event called the United Nations LDC Future Forum in Helsinki, with the Office of the UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States - OHRLLS -, to ensure the latest thinking and research is being put to work to ensure progress on the most vulnerable states.
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The Green Climate Fund announced a new project to give US$80 million in equity to offer green guarantees to business in LDCs and bring down the cost of capital, while the United Nations World Tourism Organization, announced a new Ꞓ10 million Tourism for Development Fund for LDCs, supported by TUI Care Foundation, that will invest by 2030 to support sustainable tourism in LDCs as a key driver of development.
The Government of Kazakhstan pledged $50,000 to continue their work supporting the most vulnerable member states of the United Nations and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced a major new loan package for the Least Developed Countries.
At a closing press conference, outgoing LDC Chairman, Malawi's President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera said the commitments made at the Doha Conference signified that multilateralism was still alive.
"By lowering our guard, we were able to leave our site and to those who say that multilateralism is dead, I say that your eulogy is premature. You're going for a funeral with an empty coffin. Multilateralism is alive and thriving. And it's home. It's now here in the Doha program at LDC," President Chekwera said.
"The commitments made this week are a true embodiment of global solidarity and partnership and will pave the way for a new era of international cooperation," said Rabab Fatima, Secretary General of the Conference and UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.
"This will result in more of the Least Developed Countries achieving the goal of graduation and a more prosperous and sustainable future," she continued.
