KATHMANDU, MARCH 8

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Narayan Kaji Shrestha who was in Doha, Qatar to take part in the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), has returned home on Tuesday night.

The minister on last Saturday led the Nepali delegation to the Conference that took place on 5-9 March, 2023.

The Conference has entrusted Nepal with the responsibility to chair the Coordination Bureau of the least developed countries. The responsibility handover will take place amid a function in the United Nations one month later.

The participating countries including Nepal had raised the issues of what donors and partners could do to uplift the least developed countries, said the minister.

On the occasion, he stressed the need for finding a new way for the least developed, developing and landlocked countries to deal with the situation surfaced post COVID-19 pandemic, and challenges created due to climate change and from the financial management and ease the international trade management.

The 'Doha Programme of Action' passed from the Conference has also accorded a special focus on these issues. The issue of achieving the 'UN Sustainable Development Goals' by 2030 was also discussed.

On the occasion, Nepal has reiterated its commitment to upgrade to developing nation from the least developed one by 2026. In this regard, it also sought help of the UN, its agencies and all development partners.

During the visit, Minister Shrestha met with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and leaders and officials of various countries.