51吃瓜

12:15 - 13:45, Room 101

Lead organizer(s): World Bank Group and Microsoft

The World Bank Group and Microsoft are co-hosting this side event to amplify awareness of the value of public-private partnerships in furthering the development objectives of LDCs. The dialogue will include:

? Examples of the public and private sectors working together to progress digital development and create new markets in LDCs, including to advance climate action and sustainability, agriculture and rural development, and skilling initiatives.

? What are barriers in scaling up public-private sector investments? What has worked? What are learnings that can be shared more broadly?

? What are opportunities for blending public and private sector investments for impact in digital transformation of LDCs?

12:15 - 13:45, Room 104

Lead organizer(s): UNDP and QFFD

12:15 - 13:45, Room 105

Lead organizer(s): UNCDF

This event will focus on concrete solutions for bridging the financing gap frequently experienced by small and medium-sized enterprises and revenue generating investment projects in LDCs.

As per DPoA paragraph 257, the event will discuss how the strategic use of first loss and concessional capital can be used to de-risk and attract more private sector financing for these types of SDG aligned investments.

UNCDF - the UN’s catalytic financing entity for the LDCs - will present its BRIDGE financing facility and an overview will be provided of select LDC-focused blended finance funds that will be expanded to support LDCs deliver on the DPoA and progress on the SDGs in the coming years.

Representatives from LDC and development partner governments, the private sector in LDCs, development finance institutions and the UN system, will discuss challenges and practical solutions to enable mobilization of more SDG investment capital for LDCs.

12:15 - 13:45, Room 106

Lead organizer(s): 51吃瓜 Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

The event will deliberate on new-generation policies, strategies and operational modalities to address LDCs’ systemic and structural vulnerabilities. This includes discussions on ways and means of fostering productive capacities through holistic programmes of intervention to promote sustainable diversification and structural transformation, and the importance of strategic partnerships in supporting such processes. This will be showcased through the ongoing multiyear, multisectoral programme of Angola, implemented by UNCTAD since 2018 with funding by the European Union. The discussion will focus on the potential and opportunities for replicability of the programme model for other LDCs and vulnerable economies and discuss: (i) implications of productive capacities to LDCs’ diversification, structural transformation and sustainable development; (ii) rational behind the need for such transformational processes; (iii) results, good practices, lessons learned and core elements on how best to support structural transformation in LDCs; (iv) role of the UN system and UNCTAD in promoting such transformational processes.

12:15 - 13:45, Auditorium 2

Lead organizer(s): Qatar Ministry of Communication and Technology

12:15 - 13:45, Auditorium 3

Lead organizer(s): Government of Bangladesh

Investment in science, technology, and innovation (STI) is crucial for tackling the most pressing problems faced by the LDCs, including climate change, public health emergencies, food and fuel crises, in the backdrop of war in Ukraine and other parts of the world. Despite these challenges, LDCs have the potential to harness the benefits of cutting-edge technology, including high-performance computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensor networks for improved research and innovation to address these problems and promote economic growth, enhance social welfare, and create new opportunities for innovation.The High-Level thematic event titled Investment in Research and Development in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for Smart and Innovative Societies will emphasize the urgent need for scaling up research and development for building smart and innovative economies in LDCs for the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 through the implementation of Doha Programme of Action.

12:15 - 13:45, Exhibition Hall 2

Lead organizer(s): UNFCCC

12:15 - 13:45, Exhibition Hall 2

Lead organizer(s): OHRLLS

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Concept Note

Concept Note Summary

13:00 - 14:45, PSF room 2

Lead organizer(s): UN Joint SDG Fund

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17:15 - 18:45, Room 101

Lead organizer(s): GEF

17:15 - 18:45, Room 104

Lead organizer(s): UN-ESCAP

With 5 LDCs from the Asia-Pacific region scheduled to graduate by 2026, ensuring their sustainable graduation is a priority. However, their economies are still structurally underdeveloped with a large share of the workforce still stuck in low productivity agriculture or informal services and a negligible contribution by dynamic sectors like manufacturing. Graduating with momentum requires continuous structutral transformation and strengthening of productive capacities.

17:15 - 18:45, Room 105

Concept note (PDF)

Lead organizer(s): Portugal, Angola, Cabo Verde, S?o Tomé and Príncipe and Timor-Leste

17:15 - 18:45, Auditorium 2

Lead organizer(s): Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Developpement International (FERDI)

17:15 - 18:45, Auditorium 3

Lead organizer(s): Niger

The contribution of start-ups to global economy is over $3 trillion in value. However, African start-ups contribute just over $7 billion to this value. As in many countries of Africa, Start-ups have not achieved their full potential as a result of some critical inhibiting factors which include among others: policy framework, access to funds, poor business model, lack of market needs for their products, inadequate human capacity development, poor marketing and branding and lack of mentors and investors. In order to cash in on the growing global surge on start-ups, African countries should bolster their own innovation ecosystems through supportive legislation, innovative regulations and fiscal policies to provide the needed enabling environment for start-ups and young entrepreneurs to thrive and drive the future economic growth.

The Side Event will be aimed at advocating and sensitizing development partners, African leaders, private sector, civil society, and governments at all levels to renew and strengthen their commitments to the development of a vibrant start-ups ecosystem that promotes innovation and digital transformation. The main objective is to create an enabling environment for African start-ups and young entrepreneurs to deploy digital technology to create jobs and drive future economic growth of Africa within the framework of Industry 4.0.

For instance, today, the transformation of the agricultural and agri-food sectors using digital technologies to accelerate their deveopement is a priority in the African continent. In view of that, such event could be an opportunity to promote Aggrotech solutions developed by African MSMEs and startups.

17:15 - 18:45, Exibition Hall 2 B

Lead organizer(s): Qatar Red Crescent

17:00 - 18:45, Exibition Hall 2 A

Lead organizer(s): FCA Investments

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