Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The 5th UN high-level conference on the least developed countries is being held in Doha, Qatar.

The delegation headed by the Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva also took part in the conference aimed at accelerating sustainable development by realizing its full potential in the least developed countries that are most in need of international assistance.

For information purposes, there are currently 46 countries in the category of least developed countries, of which 33 are African countries. This list is updated annually based on criteria such as gross national income per capita, place on the Human Development Index, and place on the Economic and Environmental Vulnerability Index.

It should be noted that Uzbekistan has rich experience in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. At the initiative of the President of the country Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a unique path for Uzbekistan to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals has been laid. All branches of government are directly involved in this process. National goals and objectives in the field of sustainable development for the period up to 2030 have been defined. In connection with the implementation of these goals, 125 tasks for the period up to 2030 were approved.

The participants of the Doha conference are discussing issues of assessing the provisions of the Istanbul Program of Action, adopted in 2011, international support for the least developed countries and directing additional efforts to this process. Attention is also being given to addressing structural development and poverty between least developed countries and their development partners, achieving the internationally agreed sustainable development goals and graduation from the category of least developed countries.

At the event, statements were made by the President of the Conference, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly, the President of the Economic and Social Council, the Chair of the group of least developed countries, representatives of development partners and representatives of youth from the least developed countries.

Speaking at the conference, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva stressed that the ongoing COVID pandemic, escalating global contradictions, threats and challenges to food and energy security, and the tragic consequences of global climate change further complicate the full implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Based on this point of view, she put forward such proposals as a sharp increase in investment in the industries and services of the least developed countries, the formation of a single database and an online map of investment projects in this regard, together with UNCTAD and other international organizations, regular presentations on around the world, the implementation of modern standards, quarantine and sanitary requirements when countries in need enter foreign markets, the provision of comprehensive practical assistance in the development of electronic commerce systems, guaranteed provision of the least developed countries with cheap and high-quality agricultural and food products.

On 17 March 2022, in New York, following the results of the first part of the UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries, the Doha Program of Action (DPA) for the Least Developed Countries for 2022-2031 was approved.

The final text of the DPA was approved by a resolution of the UN General Assembly on 1 April 2022.

The final text of the DPA, aimed at re-forming renewed and consolidated commitments between the least developed countries and their development partners, including the private sector, civil society and governments at all levels, was approved by a resolution of the UN General Assembly on 1 April 2022. The conference also discusses issues of ensuring the practical implementation of this program.

The conference also included high-level thematic roundtables with a summary of each session reflected in the final report of the conference.