Doha Political Declaration [UPSC Notes]

The ‘Doha Political Declaration’ was adopted by world leaders during the conclusion of the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in March 2023. This is an important development in international relations and hence is relevant for the UPSC exam GS-2 paper.

Doha Political Declaration

• The Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) was held under the theme of ‘From Potential to Prosperity’ in Qatar.
• The Doha Political Declaration focuses on the effective implementation of the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) for least-developed countries.
• Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) is a 10-year program (2022-2031) which aims to put the 46 most vulnerable countries in the world back on track to achieve UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). 
• Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) includes six focus areas:
  • Investing in people in the least developed countries through eradicating poverty and building capacity.
  • Leveraging the power of science, technology, and innovation to fight against multidimensional vulnerabilities and achieve the SDGs.
  • Supporting structural transformation as a driver of prosperity.
  • Enhancing international trade of least developed countries and regional integration.
  • Addressing climate change, environmental degradation, recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and building resilience against future shocks for risk-informed sustainable development.
  • Mobilizing international solidarity, reinvigorated global partnerships and innovative tools and instruments.
• This political declaration assumes significance in the backdrop of various issues faced by the least developed nations which also includes 33 African nations. The issues faced by these countries are:
  • Impact of covid 19 pandemic
  • Climate change crisis
  • Widening inequalities
  • Increasing debt
  • Economic shocks that affect growth
• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in its report ‘The low-carbon transition and its daunting implications for structural transformation, 2022’ noted that these LDCs contributed minimally to global climate change but bear a disproportionately high burden of the impact of climate change.
• The Sustainable Development Report 2022 highlighted that the LDCs are performing poorly in the progress towards achieving SDGs.
• Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) consists of key deliverables which include food stockholding, an online university, an international investment support centre and a sustainable graduation support facility.
• The participants of the conference called for immediate support from developed countries to advance socio-economic and environmental situations in the least developed countries.
• Several participants also ensured financial support to the tune of $470 million to protect biodiversity and to counter malnutrition prevailing in LDCs.

Doha Political Declaration:- Download PDF Here