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United Nations Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr Ban Ki-Moon, has congratulated Zambia and Ambassador Dr Mwaba Kasese-Bota on the country’s election to the chairmanship of the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) Group.
Mr Ban conveyed his congratulatory message Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Dr Kasese-Bota, paid a courtesy call on him at the United Nations Headquarters in New Yorkyesterday (on Monday), in her capacity as chairperson of the 32-Member LLDCs Group.
“I would like to congratulate you and your Government for taking chairmanship of LLDCs,” Mr Ban said.
Mr Ban and Dr Kasese-Bota exchanged views on various issues, particularly on the development needs of LLDCs.
In her remarks, the Zambian Ambassador expressed the LLDCs Group’s gratitude to Mr Ban for his leadership on fostering development in landlocked developing countries.
“We have seen that you are very passionate about issues of Landlocked Developing Countries. We are very appreciative of what the LLDCs have achieved under your leadership of the United Nations, and we are very confident that this relationship will continue,” Dr Kasese-Bota said.
Dr Kasese-Bota informed Mr Ban that the second United Nations Conference on LLDCs (the 10-year Review Conference) would be held in Vienna, Austria in November this year.
She appealed to the Secretary-General to attend in person, and urged him to extend invitations to other global leaders to raise the profile of the Conference.
The Zambian envoy requested the Secretary-General to help mobilise resources to support the effective participation of LLDCs in the preparatory process and the Conference.
Dr Kasese-Bota requested Mr Ban that the post-2015 development agenda should include LLDCs’ development needs of improving transit transport infrastructure, enhanced trade facilitation; strengthened productive capacities, increased diversification and value addition, enhanced entrepreneurship, improved human and social development, and environmental sustainability.
The Zambian Ambassador informed the Secretary-General that South Sudan had formally joined the LLDCs Group following its independence in 2011.
In response, Mr Ban reaffirmed his commitment to the promotion of LLDCs development needs.
The Secretary-General said he had been working very hard and supporting countries of LLDC.
“I can assure you of my full support and contribution to the successful convening of the [10-year review] Conference and its preparation. I am planning to personally attend the conference in November in Vienna. You can count on the Secretariat,” Mr Ban told the Zambian Ambassador.
The UN chief said he would continue to mobilise the active involvement of the United Nations system in LLDCsdevelopment programmes.
The UN Secretary-General said the special needs and challenges of the LLDCs were receiving global recognition.
Dr Kasese-Bota was accompanied to the meeting by Counsellor (Economic) MrsTheresahChandaand First Secretary for Press and Public Relations Mr Chibaula Silwamba.
Mr Ban was accompanied by High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, LLDCs and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) Ambassador Gyan Chandra Acharya, policy advisor in the SG’s Executive Office Mr Muhammad Sani Abdullahi and several senior UN officials
Zambia was last month elected chair of the LLDCs Group.
Issued by:
CHIBAULA D. SILWAMBA (Mr.)
First Secretary for Press and Public Relations
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations
www.zambiaun.com
