Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr Majed bin Mohammad Al Ansari has affirmed Qatar's full readiness to receive its partners from around the world participating in the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), which will be held in Doha from March 5-9.
In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs weekly briefing, Dr Al Ansari stressed that Doha is the capital of multi-purpose international action, especially development work, which represents a priority and importance for Qatari foreign policy.
Qatar has always been one of the main supporters of international efforts in supporting the least-developed countries, which represent 46 countries according to the UN's classification.
He said since 2020, Qatar has made contributions to these countries amounting to $363 million, and this support reflects Qatar's great interest in this file and that it is a pivotal and essential country in supporting development efforts in these countries.
He pointed out that the LDC5 is a platform to support the least developed countries at all levels, whether official, civil, private, or youth. It is expected that 4 to 5 thousand participants from abroad and 1000 from Qatar will participate in this important and major event, in addition to a large number of leaders and heads of government, ministers, specialists and relevant experts.
Dr Al Ansari added that on the sidelines of the conference, which kicks off March 4, the UN House will be inaugurated, as announced by His Highness the Amir of State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in various speeches before the UN, which translates the agreements signed with the UN in 2018 in various fields, and the contribution of more than USD500 million to support a number of areas of its work.
He explained that the UN House is a Qatari national initiative to enhance Qatar's position in multilateral work, and as a reliable international partner with the UN in achieving the desired goals in international work in general, especially since Qatar is an old partner of the UN, and the relationship between them is historical, extended and diverse.
He pointed out that the UN House includes 12 offices that differ in their specialization and nature of work, including the UNESCO office, the International Labor Organization, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and others.
Dr. Majid Al Ansari added that LDC5 is an opportunity for concerted international efforts to accelerate the wheel of sustainable development in the least developed countries, as this conference is held once every 10 years, and provides an opportunity for these countries to benefit from international efforts to support capabilities and achieve the desired goals.
He stressed that the leaders during the conference will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the implementation of the Istanbul Program of Action, take appropriate measures at the international level in favor of the least developed countries, and agree to renew the partnership between these countries and their development partners to overcome structural challenges, eradicate poverty, achieve internationally agreed development goals, and empower the concerned countries to get out of the category of least developed countries, as the conference includes a group of forums for the private sector, civil society, youth, parliamentarians, and tracks of South-South cooperation.
Dr Al Ansari said that the State of Qatar welcomed the adoption of the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2022-2031 (DPoA), which was agreed upon in 2022 at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with Doha considering the adoption of the program in the first part of the conference an important achievement that provides a positive impetus to prepare to hold the second part of the conference in Doha from March 5-9.
Regarding Qatari aid to those affected by the earthquake that struck the Republic of Turkiye and northern Syria recently, Dr Al Ansari confirmed that the number of planes that carried aid has exceeded 50, with the airlift still ongoing, delivering aid for as long as the Turkish and Syrian sides are in need of it, indicating that this aid includes medical equipment and supplies, family tents, foodstuffs, field hospitals, ready-made housing units, as well as the setting up of 12 field hospitals.
Dr Al Ansari praised the efforts of Qatari civil society organizations and charities in this regard, especially given the fact that aid has been ongoing since the beginning of the crisis, where a delegation of 29 doctors and four nurses arrived from the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) to perform surgeries and train medical personnel on the ground, with a constant flow of medical supplies, medicines, and devices to the centers and hospitals in northern Syria, benefiting 108,000 affected people.
