Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport Narayan Kaji Shrestha has called on development partners for scaling up support to the Least Developed Countries.

Addressing the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday, Shrestha said the counties need more assistance as their economies are facing the onslaught of mega global crises, such as the pandemic, conflicts, and climate disasters.

“Therefore, we urge the development partners to fully meet their official development assistance commitments. The resources must increase along with concrete debt relief measures to overcome the challenges of rising debt and inflation,” Shrestha said.

Shrestha said LDCs need inclusive and effective institutions for better governance at home as well as at the global level.

“The fruit of development generated by globalisation has eluded us for decades. It is true that we have achieved some progress; yet continue to be on the margin of global economic development,” Shrestha said.

Stating that LDCs are the worst victims of the climate crisis, he stressed that climate finance commitments should be made for adaptation and mitigation and loss and damage must be fully operationalised with simplified access to LDCs.