Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday Pakistan was committed to implementing the Doha Programme of Action considering it an opportunity to accelerate sustainable prosperity in the least developed countries.
Addressing the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Qatar’s capital Doha, the prime minister said partnerships of LDCs with developed nations as well as private sector and civil society was significant for global prosperity.
PM Sharif emphasised exploring the opportunity to ensure sustainable development in the places where international assistance was needed the most. He called upon the international community to join hands in tapping the full potential of the LDCs helping them make progress on the road to prosperity.
He said the LDCs needed major investments in health, education and social protec tion systems, adding that vast resources were required to fully implement Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The prime minister highlighted that many of the LDCs were already in or at risk of debt distress. Left unchecked, he said, economic distress and vaccine inequity would make recoveries longer and more painful than necessary. He said Pakistan was committed to safe and effective vaccines and allocation of resources for LDCs.
He pointed out that it was a matter of great concern that six LDCs had been classified as under extreme burden and added that the needy nations required a system of social protection.
