New Dates for LDC5 Announced

The General Assembly of the United Nations has agreed on new dates for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5). In addition, and for exceptional reasons relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Assembly also decided to hold it in two parts:

1. The first part will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 17 March 2022 at which adoption of the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) will be considered.
2. And the second part will take place in Doha from 5 to 9 March 2023, and at which world leaders will gather with civil society, the private sector, young people and more to build new plans and partnerships for the delivery of the DPoA over the following decade.

The split format was deemed necessary to ensure a safe and in-person gathering in Doha but also in recognition of the fact that the Least Developed Countries cannot wait another year for the package of international support measures contained within the DPoA.

The conference had previously been postponed twice because of the persisting unpredictable nature of the pandemic.

The Least Developed Countries have been severely hit by the adverse impacts of COVID-19 owing to the fragility of their health systems, limited access to vaccines and social protection systems, and vulnerability to external shocks.

The General Assembly also reiterated its appreciation to the Government of Qatar for its generous offer to host the Fifth United Nations Conference on LDCs in Doha to be held at the highest possible level, including Heads of State and Government.