Chakwera calls for ‘courageous response’ to end poverty in least-developed nations

Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera says there is urgent need for action for a collaborative, collective, and courageous response in order to eradicate poverty in the world’s poorest and least developed countries.

However, the Malawi leader said this can be possible through the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs as it contains greater measures for eradicating people’s poverty in the poorest and least developed countries.

Chakwera made the call on Thursday in  his capacity as Chairperson of Least Developed Countries during the adoption of the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs at the United Nations Headquarters in New York USA.

He said Covid 19 Pandemic has increased poverty levels in Least Developed Countries by 35 percent in the past two years hence the contributing factor to LDCs poverty levels.

Said President Chakwera: ‘’Covid 19 pandemic is happening while LDCs are already choking from countries in the global north adopting the containment measures that includes inequalities in vaccine distribution travel restrictions and access to global markets and supply chains.”

The Malawi president stressed that this is happening while LDCs are also choking from the rising cost of goods triggered by the war in Eastern Europe hence LDCs are heavily affected.

Chakwera pointed that the current global context could be more pressing as it demands collaborative collective and courageous response for a quick recovery path for the world’s most vulnerable countries as the action is the only hope.

 “Surely, it is not too much to ask that we have a programme whose ambition is to show solidarity with the worlds poorest people to accelerate development in countries where poverty levels have become an unsustainable burden for the global economy,” said Chakwera.

He further explains that the adoption of the Doha programme of action contains all what the LDCs needs right now that includes eradicating poverty, ending peoples hunger and malnutrition increasing exports and trade and internet access among others.

Chakwera, therefore, lamented that bringing together nations under the LDCs banner will assist to move towards the kind of shared prosperity that will make the term LDCs obsolete as it contains measures for enabling LDCs meet the criteria for graduation.

Said LDCs chair: ‘’For us nations to achieve the Doha Programme of Action, there is need for implementation that will take us over the next ten years with strong monitoring mechanisms both at global and regional levels,.’

Chakwera called upon for the entire United Nations system, UN resident coordinators, UN leadership and development partners to supports efforts to implement the programme at all levels.

He explained that Malawi is very grateful for the support which has been rendered in chairing the LDCs throughout the Chairship and also the responsive to the pressing needs that are created within the LDCS.

Speaking earlier UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says the conference offers an opportunity for Least developed countries to discuss the adoption of the next programme of action and its implementation.

Least Developed Countries number five (LDC5) provides forum for heads of States and government to address current challenges gain international support, foster partnerships, redressing long standing inequalities and marginalization among others.

The Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries will be held in two parts, the first part is currently taking place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York while the second one is scheduled to be held in Doha Qatar in 2023.