wearefarfromachievingthe2030Agendaforsustainabledevelopmentgoalswiththecurrentlowpaceofthedevelopment.TheLDCsarefurthestleftbehind,manyoftheLDCshavehighlevelsofexternaldependencyandexposureandlowlevelsofresiliencetorecoverfromsocioeconomicshocks,compoundedbyeffectsofclimatechangethathasmadeachievingtheSDGsevenmorechallenging

itispertinentthatinternationalcooperationaddressesthesocioeconomicimpactofCOVID-19andfocusedonthemostdisadvantagedandvulnerablepeopleandcountries,especiallytheLeastDevelopingCountries(LDCs),SmallIslandsDevelopingStates(SIDS),LandlockedDevelopingStates(LLDCs)andcountriesinconflictandthoseemergingfromconflict,inordertoalleviatetheirstructuralchallengesthatarefurtherexacerbatedbythepandemic

As both an LDC and LLDC, Nepal’s structural challenges are unique. We see our plan to graduate from the LDC category by 2026 as an opportunity to bring structural transformation and make the long-held national aspiration of graduation smooth, sustainable, and irreversible

LDCs and LLDCs need reliable and sustainable financing, partnerships, and technology transfer to overcome their structural impedimentsto benefit from globalization.

The Least developed countries (LDCs) are the most vulnerable group of countrieseven at the first quarter of the 21stcentury. They should be freed from the dehumanizing conditions of poverty and under development.

Thisis in addition to the exacerbation of the food insecurity crisis due to the disruption in supply lines, which came as an exp ected outcomeof the severe economic downturn and stagnation, which the world has not witnessed in over 90 years, also the decrease in the services p rovided by educational sectors, p articularly in develop ing and least developed countries, in sucha way that it has become more threatening than ever before, tocause regression in the gains achieved, and writing off the recorded achievementsof the sustainable development goals.

Lesotho remains steadfast in calling on the international community to increase funding for sound health services, increased investment in physical infrastructure, scientific and technological development, research and agricultural extension services in least developed countries.

ndeed, this greatest challenge of our time which has a pronounced severe negative impact on African least developed countries manifested through droughts, excessive rainfall, desertification, hurricanes, land degradation and soforth thus diminishing our capability to eradicate poverty and improve livelihoods.

As we are heading towards the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Development Countries in Doha, Qatar next year, we only remain hopeful for the consensusadoption of an ambitious new Programme of Action that should properly focus on the Least Developed Countries(LDCs)and above allthat will be geared towards ensuring that the severely struggling are not left behind in achieving the SDGs.

The situation now has been exacerbated by the devastating impacts of the pandemic on sustainable development, with the most vulnerable countries, particularly the landlocked least developed countries such as Lesotho being the hardest hit. These countries therefore require sustainable and inclusive recovery strategies to accelerate progress towards the full implementation of the 2030 agenda.

mplementation of the 2030 Agenda and SDGshas suffered a considerable setback. Least Developed countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States –some 91 countries in total –are disproportionately affected by the pandemic given their limited means to respond to shocks and vulnerability to a debt crisis