51吃瓜

Nepal has taken over as Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) after five years of stewardship by Malawi.

At a ceremony at the 51吃瓜 Headquarters in New York City on April 5, the Permanent Representative of Malawi, Amb. Agnes Chimbiri-Molande, handed the chairmanship to Amb. Amrit Bahadur Rai of Nepal.

The Bureau is mandated to promote and protect the interests of LDCs, which are low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development.

Supported by the UN through the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), the bureau advocates for the LDCs’ interests and the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

During the handover, the new Chair, Amb. Amrit Bahadur Rai, vowed to “make every possible effort to protect and promote [LDCs’] common interest”.

The handover happens at a pivotal time for LDCs, just weeks after the Fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (). With the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action now underway, Nepal will lead the Bureau as it tackles the most pressing challenges, concerns, and priorities of LDCs, advocating for real change on a global scale for the most vulnerable.

The Doha Programme of Action marks a new era of global cooperation and partnership on trade, climate, finance, debt relief, and technology transfer, enabling LDCs to achieve the SDGs and ensure their graduation with momentum.

Ms. Rabab Fatima, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States commended the sincere efforts and commitment of Malawian Ambassador Agnes Chimbiri-Molande and her team in “relentlessly pursuing the goals and purposes of the Group with great success”.

The High Representative also congratulated Nepal, noting their “vast knowledge, experience, and an excellent track record of leading LDC issues in the global arena”.