Minister Fajon at the UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries: “We must leave no one behind”
Minister Fajon addressing the round table on science, technology and innovation | Author Ministrstvo za zunanje in evropske zadeve
The world's least developed countries are still far from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals on education, health, literacy and food security. This makes them significantly more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, global crises and economic instability. Slovenia is stepping up its activities in the field of development cooperation and humanitarian aid. Our strategy foresees an increase in the share of ODA to LDCs to 0.1% of gross national income by 2030. Slovenia’s geographical priorities include sub-Saharan Africa, which is also home to the largest number of LDCs,” she said.
Science, technology and innovation have a pivotal role in achieving progress for our societies and humanity at large, and in pushing forward the 2030 Agenda. “While new technologies help us address many challenges, they also deepen inequalities. 46 countries account for 17% of the world's population and, sadly, most of these countries live in the deepest poverty. We must therefore stand in solidarity with the least developed countries and promote the Sustainable Development Goals in order to stop the dying and tackle inequalities,” the Minister said at the round table on the impact of science, technology and innovation. “I am confident that the joint efforts of all those participating in this Conference will lead to solutions and concrete actions for the LDCs in the next decade. How we behave towards the LDCs is a litmus test for the international community's promise that we must leave no one behind,” she added.
On the margins of the Conference, Minister Fajon met with the Foreign Ministers of Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Niger, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, as well as the Senior Minister of State of Singapore. This evening, Minister Fajon, together with President Natasa Pirc Musar, will meet with representatives of the Slovenian community in Qatar.
On the second day of the Conference, 7 March 2023, the Minister will participate in a Ministerial Meeting on South-South Cooperation, where she will highlight the positive impact of developing countries' cooperation on economic development. On the margins of the meeting, she will meet with the Foreign Ministers of The Gambia, Cambodia and Kiribati.