Foreign Minister Addresses India

Foreign Minister Addresses India -Ldc Ministerial Conference On South-South Cooperation In New Delhi, India

The India's Foreign Minister hosted a United Nations Ministerial Conference between Least Developed Countries and India in New Delhi on South South Cooperation.

49 Least Developed Countries including five Pacific states are classified by the United Nations as the most vulnerable populations in the world. These countries are covered by a United Nations Program known as the Brussels Program of Action (2000-2011).

That ten year program is a framework of commitments by the international community to assist the LDCs in addressing their specific and special needs allowing them to attain their MDGs. A new ten year program is currently being negotiated and will be launched in May this year in Istanbul, Turkey.

Minister Agovaka in his statement called for the Istanbul Program to be ambitious, comprehensive, forward looking and result oriented, driven by the honest and genuine partnership.

The numbers of least developed countries have grown in three decades and hopes the Istanbul program will lift half of the 49 from poverty. It is hoped for LDCs under the new partnership framework, international support will focus more on investing in the productive sectors of the LDCs economies to effect sustainable economic growth allowing countries to support their social aspirations.

India responded to the call from LDC Ministers yesterday by announcing a number of development initiatives under the South-South framework.

1. Five additional scholarships for each LDC’s annually
2. USD 5 million for the follow up activities of the Istanbul Program of Action
3. A line of Credit of USD 500 million for LDCs

ENDS

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