Foreign Minister Rana urges G20 nations to increase support for LDCs

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 26 : Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, has called on G20 member countries to increase financial support for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to combat the detrimental impacts of climate change.

Reflecting on the challenges faced by LDCs, Minister Rana stated, "These countries have endured multi-faceted crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. Consequently, they have been pushed further into extreme poverty over the last two decades."

The Minister for Foreign Affairs delivered these remarks yesterday during the G20 Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting in New York, held on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. She spoke on behalf of the Group of Least-Developed Countries, of which Nepal currently serves as chair.

Minister Rana urged the G20 to take a leading role in promoting inclusive growth, accelerating the 2030 Agenda, enhancing global health security, driving climate action, advancing digital transformation, bridging the digital divide, fostering multilateral cooperation, and addressing the world’s pressing challenges.

She commended Brazil’s efforts in chairing this meeting with a focus on social inclusion, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development, and welcomed its proposal to launch a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty.

Dr. Rana also advocated for the establishment of a formal mechanism for LDC representation at G20 meetings and working groups, including regular invitations for the LDC Chair to attend G20 Summits. She emphasized that this platform would be crucial in ensuring that LDC perspectives shape G20 discussions and outcomes.

Additionally, she proposed the creation of a G20-led fund to support climate adaptation and resilience-building efforts in LDCs, with an emphasis on grant-based financing and capacity building for project development and implementation.

The Minister further urged G20 members to provide duty-free and quota-free market access for all LDC products, believing that such measures would enable LDCs to better integrate into global value chains and increase export revenues. She highlighted the urgent need for G20 countries to recognize that LDCs have been severely impacted by the recent rise in extreme poverty, calling for collective efforts to support these vulnerable nations.