Closing statement by Ms. Rabab Fatima at the Third LDC Future Forum

[Ms. Prudence Kaoma, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance and National Planning of Zambia] [Hon’ble Felix Mutati, Minister of Technology and Science of Zambia],
Ambassador Heidi Schroderus-Fox, Permanent Representative of Finland to the UN in Geneva,
Excellencies, 
Distinguished Colleagues,  

Let me start by expressing my sincere thanks to the Government of Zambia for its warm hospitality and excellent arrangements that have made the 3rd LDC Future Forum such a remarkable success. [I also extend special thanks to Minister Mutati for his instrumental role in bringing the Future Forum to Lusaka.]

I thank the Government of Finland for their continued support and generous contribution.

I also thank the Government of Turkeyi and other development partners for their contribution and support. 

The close collaboration between the Zambian, Finnish and UN teams over the past months has been instrumental in shaping the rich and diverse programme we have just concluded.

I also thank our other partners - the OECD, FERDI and UNU-WIDER - for their important contribution and support.

And I thank the Resident Coordinator and her team and the ECA Subregional Office for their excellent support over the past months.
  
My sincere thanks to the distinguished moderators, presenters, and respondents across all thematic sessions. Your insights have added tremendous value to our discussions.

[Thank you very much.] 
 
To the Hon’ble Ministers and Permanent Representatives, thank you for sharing your valuable insights and important directions on building resilience in the LDCs.  

Over the past two days, we have engaged in rich and productive discussions.  

My Office will prepare and circulate a summary of key takeaways and recommendations.  

 Excellencies, Distinguished Colleagues, 

As the honourable President Hakainde Hichilema aptly reminded us at the opening: “resilience is not an option but a necessity in a fast-changing world”. 

Indeed, in a world grappling with overlapping crises – climate shocks, economic disruptions, and health emergencies – resilience must be at the heart of our development efforts.  

We must build systems that not only protect people during crises but also support recovery and strengthen preparedness for future shocks.

Allow me now to briefly highlight a few key takeaways that emerged from our discussions: 

First and foremost, climate vulnerability remains an urgent concern for LDCs.

Agriculture, food, water, and energy systems are under growing stress.

As the UN Secretary General said at LDC5: “Combatting a climate catastrophe that you did nothing to cause is challenging when the cost of capital is sky-high, and the financial support you receive to mitigate and adapt to the destruction is a drop in the bucket.” 

Indeed, adaptation finance remains far below the level required, and the access procedures remain complex. 

National Adaptation Plans remain our primary tool for addressing climate vulnerability, yet many LDCs have yet to submit their NAPs, despite the fast-approaching 2025 deadline.

This needs to be remedied with urgency. 

I welcome the pledge by Honourable Minister Chomanika of Malawi to carry this priority over to COP30 in his capacity as Chair of the LDC Group under UNFCCC. 

 
Excellencies,

We also heard how the DPOA’s deliverables on the resilience building mechanism and food stockholding mechanism are seeking to expedite NAP preparations and improve food security in the LDCs.

I commend the Government of Qatar for its generous support to operationalize these initiatives. I hope that other donors will also come forward with their support in this regard.

Second, technology and innovation must be at the forefront of our efforts to tackle multi-dimensional vulnerabilities.  

We have seen encouraging examples - from early warning applications and plant disease detection driven by AI, through to climate-smart agricultural techniques and agrivoltaics projects.

These solutions are often simple, scalable, and cost-effective.

Over 60% of workers in LDCs lack formal training, yet green sectors could generate 20 million jobs by 2030.
We heard of the significant untapped potential in renewable energy in LDCs, which are also endowed with vast arable land and a young, dynamic workforce.

I was also pleased to hear Minister Tavio’s offer to connect Finnish innovation with LDC’s efforts to strengthen their resilience.  We need more such partnerships on technology and innovation. 

Third, digitalization and connectivity are powerful enablers of resilience building. 

This has been a recurring theme throughout the Forum.

Whether it is through dissemination of early warnings in the face of impending disasters, or enabling breakthrough climate technologies, digital solutions can be transformative.

Yet digital divides persist.  

Indeed, connectivity remains unaffordable for many: three-quarters of LDCs still face mobile broadband costs exceeding 5% of GNI per capita, far above the UN Broadband Commission’s 2% target.

Fourth, structural transformation, economic diversification and value addition are essential to build economic resilience to external shocks. 

Circular economy approaches can contribute to generating new productive activities, while reducing waste, minimizing costs, and improving efficiency.

Most LDCs rely on a limited range of low value-added goods and primary commodities for export earnings. They suffer from acute shortage of financial and human resources and technological constraints.

The private sector has a critical role to play in bringing about long-term transformation.  

We also recognize that the right conditions must be in place to stimulate the domestic private sector, for example improving access to finance and the regulatory environment, but also to attract FDI, through de-risking and blended finance. 

And finally, building resilience and addressing vulnerability require robust means of implementation. This includes tailored capacity-building, enhanced international cooperation, and the effective utilization of STI. Development partners must deliver on their commitments - particularly on ODA and debt relief. 

Furthermore, innovative financing mechanisms, such as blended finance, de-risking, and blue or green bonds, can unlock investments in critical sectors like infrastructure and clean energy.

Additionally, South-South and triangular cooperation must be further leveraged for knowledge exchange and technology transfer. 

At the same time, domestic resource mobilization and tackling illicit financial flows remain critical to align international support with national priorities.

By working together, we can ensure that LDCs have the necessary tools and resources to achieve sustainable development and graduate from the LDC category with resilience and stability.

The upcoming FFD4 Conference in Seville will be an important opportunity to move these priorities forward.  

Excellencies, Distinguished Colleagues,  
 
Our discussions here in Lusaka provides us with important directions and recommendations to support the LDCs in their efforts to build resilience, accelerate DPOA implementation and progress on the SDGs.  

As we move forward with our shared vision to support the LDCs in this journey, we count on your continued support and collaboration to generate knowledge-based and practical solutions to their pressing challenges.
 
Before I conclude, I would like to convey my special thanks to our interpreters and technicians for their professionalism and dedication throughout the Forum.

I also wish to thank our teams working behind the scenes in Helsinki, Lusaka and at OHRLLS for their hard work and tireless efforts over the past months to ensure the success of this Forum. [Thank you] 

I wish to reaffirm that my Office and I will continue to keep he LDCs’ priorities high on the UN agenda.

Let me rest it here. 

I wish you all safe travels back home.  

Thank you.