Zambia’s Minister Urges Global Community to See LDCs as Engines of Growth at UN Meeting
Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Honourable Mulambo Haimbe, S.C., M.P., has called on the international community to reframe its view of the world’s 46 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), describing them as the greatest hope for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Chairing the Annual Ministerial Meeting of LDCs on the margins of the 80th United Nations General Assembly on 26 September, Hon. Haimbe urged global leaders to regard LDCs not as a burden but as the next frontier for growth, innovation, and sustainable development.
The meeting brought together foreign ministers and representatives from the LDC bloc, alongside development partners and the Friends of LDCs. High-level attendees included UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, President of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock, and Rabab Fatima, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for LDCs.
In his opening remarks, Hon. Haimbe highlighted both the challenges and opportunities facing the bloc. He pointed to sluggish average economic growth of 4.1%—well below the SDG target of 7%—a combined external debt burden of $585.9 billion, and low education completion rates. Yet, he emphasised that investing in LDCs was a “win-win” opportunity capable of transforming global development outcomes.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration calling for immediate debt relief, scaled-up climate finance, and a transformed global partnership to accelerate delivery of the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA). The declaration also endorsed initiatives such as a food stockholding mechanism and the creation of an online university to expand access to education.
Hon. Haimbe stressed that international commitments, including those made at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, must translate into tangible action.
“Delivering on the promise of sustainable development for LDCs is the ultimate test of international resolve,” he said, calling for unity, urgency, and innovation from all partners.
The LDC group also reaffirmed its solidarity and invited all stakeholders to actively participate in the comprehensive mid-term review of the DPoA, set to take place in Doha in 2027.
This year’s ministerial meeting was described as pivotal, providing a platform to take stock of progress, address emerging challenges, and mobilise strategic partnerships ahead of the 2027 review.
