Addis ababa: The State of Qatar participated in the Africa regional ministerial preparatory meeting for the Mid-term Review of the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The two-day event concluded today.

According to Qatar News Agency, Fahad bin Hamad Al Sulaiti, Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), represented Qatar at the meeting via video conference. The gathering included representatives from LDCs in Africa, along with regional and international partners, aiming to assess the progress of the DPoA execution and to align regional priorities for the upcoming Comprehensive High-level Midterm Review of the Implementation of DPoA.

Discussions at the meeting addressed the structural and financial challenges faced by LDCs in Africa, such as widening financing gaps, limited fiscal space, increasing debt burdens, and climate-related issues. The need to strengthen productive capacities and resilience while advancing sustainable graduation was also emphasized.

Al Sulaiti highlighted the significance of bridging these gaps and enhancing international partnerships to support sustainable development and graduation paths in LDCs. He stressed the necessity for innovative and flexible funding solutions to expand productive capabilities, enhance economic flexibility, and protect development gains.

He also emphasized the importance of reinforcing collaboration and international partnerships to support nations throughout development and graduation paths, particularly through long-term and predictable funding that meets evolving development needs.

The QFFD's participation is part of its ongoing partnership with the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) to support the implementation of DPoA.

Following Qatar's hosting of the Fifth United Nations Conference on LDCs in March 2023, which resulted in the adoption of DPoA, Qatar announced a $60 million commitment to support the program's implementation. This includes a core contribution to the Office and funding for key programs, such as the food stockholding mechanism to tackle food insecurity in LDCs and the resilience-building mechanism for LDCs.

This collaboration epitomizes Qatar's commitment to supporting DPoA's priorities, ahead of the midterm review scheduled for 2027. The meeting concluded by focusing on unifying African priorities and deepening regional and international partnerships, as well as fostering cooperative partnerships with countries of the Global South ahead of the Midterm Review of DPoA.