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Asia LDC Civil Society Regional Strategy Assembly towards Implementation
of
the Istanbul Programme of Action for the LDCs for the Decade 2011-2020
15-16 May 2012
Bangkok, Thailand
Organized by ESCAP
LDC Watch and UN-OHRLLS
The Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCIV)
adopted the Istanbul Programme of Action for the LDCs for the Decade 2011-
2020 (IPoA). The overarching goal of the IPoA is to overcome the structural
challenges faced by the LDCs in order to eradicate poverty, achieve
internationally agreed development goals with a special focus on the millennium
development goals (MDGs) and enable graduation from the LDC category. The
eight priority areas identified for action are productive capacity; agriculture,
food security and rural development; trade; commodities; human and social
development; multiple crises and other emerging challenges; mobilising financial
resources for development and capacity-building and good governance at all
levels.
The significant role of civil society towards proper implementation of the IPoA
has been recognised in the IPoA. The IPoA states that “The Programme of Action
recognizes that civil society complements government and the private sector in
its implementation. Civil society organizations will be involved in policy
dialogue, as appropriate, to ensure a participatory and inclusive development
process in least developed countries”.
Against this background, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and
the Pacific (ESCAP), the LDC Watch and UN Office of the High Representative
for least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island
developing states (UN-OHRLLS) are jointly organising the Asia LDC Civil
Society Regional Strategy Assembly towards the Implementation of the IPoA on
15-16 May 2012 in Bangkok. LDC Watch is the lead civil society alliance that has
been advocating and campaigning in the interests of the LDCs since its formation
in 2001 soon after the Third United Nations Conference on the LDCs (LDC-III)
that was convened in Brussels.
The key objective of the Asia LDC Civil Society Regional Strategy Assembly is to
draw up the campaign and advocacy strategies of LDC civil society vis-à-vis the
global review of the MDGs in 2013 as well as the mid-term review of the IPoA in
2013 in the context of the implementation of the IPoA. The Assembly will
deliberate upon key thematic agenda from a regional perspective and conclude
with an Asia LDC Civil Society Declaration. The key outcomes of the Assembly
will be presented in a LDC Watch statement at the 68th session of the
Commission.
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