2025 LDC FOCAL POINTS WORKSHOP OPENS, PAVING THE WAY FOR THE THIRD LDC FUTURE FORUM

01.04.25………Hon. Mulambo Haimbe, S.C., MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, yesterday officially opened the 2025 Least Developed Countries (LDC) Focal Points Workshop in Lusaka today, setting the stage for the Third LDC Future Forum, which formally commences today April 1, 2025.

Co-hosted by Zambia, the United Nations Office of the High Representative for LDCs, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), and the Government of Finland, this high-level forum will bring together policymakers, researchers, business leaders, and development partners to explore practical strategies for enhancing the resilience of LDCs against economic, environmental, and social shocks. The event marks a pivotal moment in the collective effort to accelerate sustainable development among the world’s most vulnerable nations.

In his opening remarks, Hon. Haimbe welcomed the delegates and emphasized the urgency of leveraging the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) as the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deadline approaches. Acknowledging the progress made since the DPoA’s inception in 2022, he underscored the need for stronger mechanisms to mainstream and monitor its implementation.

The Minister described it as heartening that, in 2024, São Tomé and Príncipe successfully graduated from the LDC category and that several other countries are making incremental progress toward graduation. He noted that this achievement should serve as a source of renewed hope for all LDCs and embolden their national efforts to implement the DPoA effectively. Hon. Haimbe encouraged workshop participants to use the sessions to strengthen their institutional capacities in mainstreaming and monitoring progress toward the DPoA’s goals.

Ms. Rabab Fatima, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UN-OHRLLS, outlined four key priorities to address challenges in LDCs: national ownership and leadership, capacity-building and investment, science, technology, and innovation, and enhanced monitoring and accountability. She emphasized that governments must integrate the DPoA into their national strategies, supported by strong political commitment and inclusive policy frameworks. Additionally, she stressed the importance of prioritizing education, digital transformation, and infrastructure development.

Zambia is set to become the first African nation to host the LDC Future Forum. The inaugural and second editions of the forum were both held in Finland.