Lombe commends UN for mobilising int’l support to LLDCs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Ambassador Chalwe Lombe has commended United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) for the mobilization of international support and resources for the benefit of the LLDCs.

Speaking on behalf of LLDCs Group at the 15th anniversary of the UN-OHRLLS, Mr. Lombe expressed gratitude to Under-Secretary-General Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya and his staff for the tireless efforts in raising awareness and advocacy to ensure that the issues that are cardinal to the LLDCs Group were reflected in the international arena.

“On behalf of the LLDC Group, I wish to congratulate you on this day that marks 15 years of OHRLLS since its establishment in 2001. The United Nations-Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN OHRLLS) has been a key advocate for the special needs and challenges of the LLDCs ever since its inception,” Mr. Lombe said. “UN-OHRLLS has been coordinating and mobilizing support from the UN system and other international and regional organizations to our group. This has been instrumental to ensuring effective and coordinated implementation, follow-up and review of the two important Programmes for the LLDCs, namely the Vienna Programme of Action of 2014 to 2024 and its predecessor, the Almaty Programme of Action from 2003-2013.”

Mr. Lombe said over the past 15 years, there had been increased visibility and international recognition of the challenges and special needs of the LLDCs and consequently those issues were now firmly integrated into the international development agenda.

He said the international community came together to revitalize the commitment to address the needs and challenges of the LLDCs during the Second UN Conference on LLDC in Vienna in November 2014 which culminated in the adoption of the more comprehensive and holistic Vienna Programme of Action.

He said the recognition of the special situation of LLDCs in the 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, as well as the acknowledgment that the Vienna Programme of Action is integral to the 2030 Agenda, was among the major important milestones.

He said the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction made reference to the specific challenges of the LLDCs and stresses the need for special attention and support to augment domestic resources and capabilities.

“The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement aims at expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit and thereby significantly cutting the costs of trade in order to address the key concerns of the LLDCs,” said Mr. Lombe. “This increased international awareness and recognition of LLDCs and our issues could not have been possible without the support of UN-OHRLLS to the LLDC Group.”