Luanda — The Secretary of State for Planning, Luís Epalanga, this week in New York (USA), expressed the desire of the Angolan authorities to present the country's 2nd Voluntary National Report to the UN, during the next High-Level Political Forum of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in 2025.
The intention was expressed during the meeting that the Angolan leader held with the president of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Paula Narváez, at the headquarters of the United Nations (UN), in New York, according to a note to which ANGOP had access this Saturday.
According to the document, the meeting also served to address issues related to the graduation process from Angola to a Middle-Income Country.
On the occasion, Luís Epalanga argued that, within the framework of the 284 priorities of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2023-2027, 210 have a direct impact on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets.
In this context, the note cites, the official requested the technical support of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and took the opportunity to inform about the realization, in September of this year, of the General Census of Population and Housing, "an important instrument for the preparation of the Voluntary National Report of the SDGs".
He also focused on aspects related to cooperation between the Government of Angola and the United Nations, highlighting the Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development 2024-2028 and the Sustainable Investment Map.
In her turn, the president of the Economic and Social Council, Paula Narváez, assured ECOSOC's support to Angola, with a workshop and other training actions for the technicians involved in the process of preparing the 2nd Voluntary National Report.
The recommendations also include the need for greater involvement of various relevant actors, with emphasis on the private sector and academia.
In a second moment, the Secretary of State for Planning met Rabab Fatima, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, to whom he reaffirmed Angola's commitment to the Doha Programme of Action.
According to Luís Epalanga, adverse factors led the country to request the postponement of graduation to a Middle-Income Country, but remains committed to improving the requirements for its transition.
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He said that, among other actions, the Angolan Government is committed to raising the levels of human capital and food security.
In turn, Rabab Fatima praised the efforts of the Angolan Government to continue with actions aimed at improving the level of quality of its population, aiming at a smooth transition to a Middle-Income Country.
The person responsible provided all the necessary support from a technical and institutional point of view to achieve this goal.
The Doha Program of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2022-2031, (DPoA) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 1 April 2022.
The document manifests a new generation of renewed and reinforced commitments between Least Developed Countries and their development partners, including the private sector, civil society and governments at all levels.
The DPoA includes six main areas of focus for LDCs, namely investing in people and eradicating poverty, as well as building capabilities to leave no one behind.
Harness the power of science, support structural transformation as a driver of prosperity.
The Doha Program of Action also envisages improving LDCs' international trade, tackling climate change and mobilizing international solidarity, reinvigorated global partnerships and innovative tools and instruments, towards sustainable graduation. QCB/DOJ
