麻豆传媒

Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, Hon. Minister of Finance of Zambia, 
Excellencies, 
Distinguished National Focal Points,  
Dear Colleagues, 

Good morning and Eid Mubarak!

It is a pleasure to welcome you all to the LDC National Focal Points meeting here in Lusaka.

I thank the Government of Zambia for hosting this year’s meeting and for the warm welcome and the excellent arrangements made to host us. Thank you, Hon’ble Minister. 

I also thank the Government Türkiye for its invaluable support in organizing this important meeting. 

This year’s meeting is especially significant as it coincides with the upcoming Third LDC Future Forum, offering an opportunity for the NFPs to engage in both discussions. 

Since our last meeting in Istanbul las July, we have witnessed encouraging progress in the implementation of the DPOA. 

GDP growth in LDCs rose to 4.1% in 2024, up from 2.7% the previous year. 

LDCs demonstrated an upward trajectory in manufacturing value-added (MVA) growth, reflecting a positive trend in structural transformation. However, MVA per capita in LDCs still remains significantly low at just $167 compared to the global average of $1,912. 

We have also seen positive developments in gender representation. Women now account for 26.8% of parliamentary seats in LDCs, surpassing the global average of 26.4% - this is a notable achievement. 

On graduation, important milestones have been reached. Following Bhutan’s graduation in 2023, Sao Tome and Principe became the second country to graduate from the LDC category since the adoption of the DPOA.

In December 2024, the General Assembly also decided that Cambodia and Senegal will graduate from the category in 2029. 

This brings the total number of LDCs that are now at different stages of graduation to 14.  Notably, for the first time, an equal number of African and Asian LDCs are on the graduation track. A significant milestone, particularly for African LDCs, reflecting growing momentum and progress across the continent.

Important strides have also been made in operationalizing key DPOA deliverables. 

My Office has undertaken substantive preparations for the resilience-building and food stockholding mechanisms for LDCs – two of the key deliverables. 

?    We are preparing a comprehensive study, which will propose a set of pilot countries for the Food Stockholding Mechanism and convene an UN-wide task force to guide the process.

?    The Resilience Building Mechanism, is also being developed in collaboration with UNDRR and WMO, which will focus on strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems. 

Additionally, efforts are underway to fully operationalize the iGRAD- Sustainable Graduation Support Facility;  as well as to advance the LDC Online University; and the International Investment Support Centre for LDCs, the two other DPOA deliverables.

We are grateful to the Government of Qatar for its continued generous support in operationalizing these two key deliverables and for the implementation of the DPOA. Thank you, Qatar!

I invite other development partners and donors to also come forward in support of the LDCs, in advancing the DPOA. 

Moreover, my Office has secured funding from the UN Peace and Development Fund to support three graduating countries in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific [Senegal, Cambodia and Solomon Island] in navigating the graduation process.

We have also concluded an independent external evaluation on the effectiveness of its support to the LDC National Focal Points network. 

The findings will help us to further enhance capacity-building efforts and to optimize institutional arrangements for the effective implementation of the DPOA.

Distinguished Colleagues,

Despite this progress, LDCs remain highly vulnerable to systemic shocks amid overlapping crises and shifting development priorities. 

Nearly one third of the population in LDCs - about 400 million people - live below the international poverty line, with extreme poverty rising in many LDCs. 

While the 44 LDCs represent 14% of global population, they account for less than 2% of global GDP and only 1% of world trade.
 
LDCs continue to bear a disproportionate burden of climate change, accounting for more than two-thirds of global disaster-related deaths, despite contributing just 3.3% to global emissions. 

Geopolitical tensions and conflicts in some LDCs further exacerbate their economic stability and growth prospects. 

Meanwhile, unsustainable debt levels, with external debt surging to $774 billion in 2023, a three-fold increase since 2010- have become a major concern. And to make things worse, ODA is declining, which is severely constraining fiscal space for sustainable development. 

 To address these pressing challenges and accelerate the implementation of the DPOA, I wish to highlight four key priorities:

First, national ownership and leadership are fundamental. 

The integration of the DPOA into national development strategies is the first critical step. 

Encouragingly, close to half of LDCs have integrated, or are in the process of mainstreaming the DPOA.

Successful implementation requires strong political commitment, inclusive policy frameworks, and engagement from all stakeholders, including the civil society, the private sector, and development partners. 

Strengthening institutional capacities, enhancing data-driven decision-making, and improving governance mechanisms will foster transparency and efficiency in implementation. 

In this regard, I would also like to underscore the need for the timely submission of your national reports, which is an extremely important measure of the progress of implementation of the DPOA on the ground.  This will help the international community and the UN to identify challenges and take appropriate measures.  We will also be working closely with the RCs to support you in this regard. 

Second, robust capacity-building support tailored to address their specific institutional, technical, and financial needs is urgent. 

Investments in education, skills development, digital transformation, and infrastructure are vital. 

In this era of geopolitical uncertainty and rising economic fragmentation, development cooperation must be further strengthened, not scaled back.  

Development financing commitments must be met, and South-South and triangular cooperation fully leveraged to mobilize additional resources. Engagement with the private sector and the adoption of innovative financing mechanisms are equally crucial. 

Development partners, and multilateral institutions must work collaboratively with LDCs to ensure that support is demand-driven, country-owned, and aligned with national priorities. 

Third, harnessing the power of science, technology, and innovations is crucial for DPOA implementation. 

The persistent digital divide, particularly for women and marginalized communities, remains a critical barrier. 

Addressing this requires targeted policies to promote digital literacy, expanding affordable internet access, and adopting gender-responsive tech policies and initiatives. Strong regulatory frameworks are vital to foster innovation while protecting consumer rights. 

Global partnerships should be strengthened to facilitate knowledge transfer, build digital infrastructure development, and investment in innovation ecosystems. 

Fourth and finally: a comprehensive national monitoring and reporting framework is critical.  

Aligned with the six priority areas of the DPOA, such frameworks must be underpinned by clear baseline data and indicators.  

Enhanced global support is needed to strengthen LDCs’ statistical capacities and generate timely, reliable data to track progress and inform policymaking.

Regular national reviews should be institutionalized to provide multi-stakeholder engagement opportunities.  This should feed into regional and global follow-up mechanisms, for a coherent accountability system at all levels. The UN RC system and the UN country team should be closely involved in these efforts. 

My Office has developed a DPOA roadmap and guidelines, which provide actionable strategies that can be adapted to national contexts and integrated into these monitoring frameworks.

Excellencies and Distinguished Colleagues, 

The year 2025 marks a pivotal moment for LDCs to amplify their voices and advance their development priorities. A series of global events, including the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the Third UN Ocean Conference, the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations, the Second World Summit for Social Development, and COP30 - offer important platforms to advocate for increased financing, climate resilience, social development, and economic transformation.

My Office stands ready to support the LDC Group, to ensure coordination across the UN system and beyond, and to ensure that the LDC priorities are at the front and center of the global development discourse. 

Preparations are also underway for the global mid-term review of the DPOA, to be hosted by the Government of Qatar in early 2027. 

Meanwhile, we are preparing for the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries - LLDC3 - to be held from 4 to 8 August in Turkmenistan. With half of the LLDCs also being LDCs, including our host Zambia, LLDC3 provides a critical opportunity to address common challenges related to trade, connectivity, and structural transformation. And I would like you to carry back the message to your capitals, for high-level participation by your countries.

Excellencies and Dear Colleagues, 

You have a full and important agenda ahead. I trust your deliberations will yield valuable insights, highlight best practices, and generate innovative solutions that strengthen implementation of the DPOA across all LDCs. 

I wish you a productive and impactful meeting.  
And Hon’ble Minister, thank you for joining us today to inaugurate the meeting. 

Let me rest it here.

Thank you.