ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for Qatar today (Sunday) to participate in the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), being held in Doha from March 5 to 9.

The prime minister will be undertaking the two-day visit at the invitation of the emir of Qatar, according to an official handout issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on Saturday. During his stay in Doha, the prime minister will hold bilateral meetings and interactions with participating leaders and heads of delegations on the sidelines of the conference.

Pakistan has been playing a leading role at the UN platforms to amplify the collective voice of the Global South to promote sustainable development worldwide. During 2022, in its capacity as the chair of the Group of 77 and China, Pakistan actively supported the efforts of the LDCs chair and Qatar in securing the adoption of the Doha Programme of Action for the LDCs by consensus, and its endorsement by the UN General Assembly.

Published in Dawn, EOS, March 5th, 2023