Addressing a Civil Society Interaction Program on Istanbul Program of Action for LDCs: Expectations and Achievements organized by LDC Watch in Kathmandu on Sunday, Acharya said such a measure on the part of LDC member state could greatly help realize the eight different priority areas set by the UN conference on LDCs.
While noting that resource mobilization is one of the important challenges in realizing the goals set by IPOA, Acharya said he has begun consultations with the members of UN Development Group in his capacity as the high representative for LDC, LLDC and SIDS to make necessary arrangements for funding development endeavors of the least developed countries.[break]
“As many as 16 of those in the UNDG have expressed their commitment to focus their aid program on the LDCs,” he said adding that UNICEF, for instance, has already started allocating 50 to 60 percent of its total budget to LDCs.
He also said that negotiations are under way with international financial institutions including World Bank, Asian Development and Asian Development Bank to ensure that their funding is also in line with the priorities set by IPOA.
Civil society members from different walks of life had offered suggestions to make the UN-OHRLLS works serve the real interests of the LDCs like Nepal. Among other things, they suggested giving due consideration to issues like inclusivity, corruption control, sustainability, safe migration and localization instead of globalization as part of the UN-OHRLLS plans and programs to meet specific requirements of the least developed countries.
Addressing the interaction, former Nepalese ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations Madhu Raman Acharya said the existing global economic order was the main cause of underdevelopment in many countries of the world. Stating that IPOA had failed to address the problem, he said, “The developed and the underdeveloped countries have yet to have a sense of dual responsibility to address this situation. There is also no clarity in development model to address the concerns of LDCs and LLDCs.”
Foreign Secretary Durga Prasad Bhattarai said IPOA is by far the best program of action for the LDCs as compared to the previous three action plans. He said IPOA has included components of mutual accountability and national responsibility to ensure national ownership and leadership to achieve the goals.
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