Vietnam’s representative at the United Nations has called developed countries to boost their assistance for least developed countries (LDCs) via the increase of official development assistance, the removal of trade barriers, the building of human resources and technology.

A general view from the Midterm Review of the Istanbul Programme of Action in Antalya. (Source: www.gettyimages.ca)

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, Vietnamese Permanent Representative to the UN, made the statement at the mid-term review of the Istanbul Programme of Action (2011-2020) held in Antalya, Turkey, on May 27-29.

She emphasised the national self-reliant role in national development and introduced Vietnam’s experience in socio-economic development and international economic integration.

She affirmed Vietnam attached much importance to the South-South cooperation, evidenced by positive results of tripartite projects in agriculture between Vietnam and some African countries and Vietnam’s investment in some LDCs in information technology infrastructure.

She said Vietnam would continue intensifying cooperation with LDCs to implement the Istanbul Programme of Action and the 2030 Sustainable Development Action Programme.

The meeting for LDCs drew the participation of more than 2,000 delegates, including many senior leaders of LDCs, representatives from international organistions, and non-government organisations.

With the theme of “Partnership for Transformative Change in Least Developed Countries,” the three-day conference reviewed the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action in the past five years and solutions to promote the full implementation of the programme in the context of the United Nations’ achievement of important agreements in 2015 like the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement.

The conference recognised efforts and achievements of LDCs but expressed concerns over challenges facing LDCs like poverty, inequality, weak governance, stalled trade, climate change, epidemic and conflict.

The conference passed the politic statement affirming the international community’s resolve to assist the LDCs to complete the goal of lifting half of its members out of the list by 2020 and proposed overall solutions on many fields such as improving production capability, developing infrastructure and energy, agriculture, food security and rural development, trade and investment, good governance, human and social development, youth, gender equality, finance for development, science-technology and innovation, climate change adaption, and commitment to operating the Technology Bank, headquartered in Turkey, for LDCs in 2017.

VNA