1. I would like to begin by thanking the Secretary General for the reports and documentation towards this agenda item, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the ECOSOC Secretariat for the assistance and support rendered during the negotiation process.

2. The Report on the review of the implementation of the Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020, backed up by the background documentation of other ECOSOC processes such as the Statistical Commission, STI Forum and the Forum on Financing for Development Follow-up indicate that with less than a year and a half to go before the end of the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPOA), LDCs continue to have significant gaps in their development trajectory.

3. Despite these hurdles, it is of note that for the first time the largest number of LDCs is in the graduation pipeline. The LDCs Tech Bank in Gebze, Turkey is fully operationalized and we have an opportunity in LDC V to reinvigorate our collective efforts, including global partnerships for development to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda during the coming decade.

4. This Resolution on the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020 reaffirms that the least developed countries, as the most vulnerable group of countries, need enhanced global support to overcome the structural challenges they face in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The resolution highlights the importance of partnership, cooperation and collaboration in the development of the LDCs. Of note in the resolution are the importance of gender equality and empowerment for development, the crucial role of the relationship between domestic resource mobilization and international assistance, the resolution also notes with worry the decline in ODA in real terms to LDCs by 3.0% and reiterates its call to development partners to meet their 0.15% and 0.20% of ODA for GNI commitments.

5. The group would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of the State of Qatar for agreeing to host the Fifth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries, scheduled to be held in 2021. We look forward to continued collaboration with all member states and the UN system and her entities in order to make this conference and all its processes a success.

6. Lastly, we would like to thank Turkey for facilitating this resolution, and all member states involved in the negotiation for their constructive spirit that led to the successful conclusion of this resolution in a timely manner.

Thank you for your attention.