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Development issues given top priority THE foreign ministers of the G77 and China unanimously endorsed the Doha Political Declaration and the Doha Plan of Action ahead of referring the two documents to heads of state and government for final endorsement, Qatar’s ambassador to the United Nations and deputy chairman of the organising committee of the Second South Summit of the G7 and China, Nasser Abdulaziz al-Nasr said yesterday. Addressing a press conference after the ministerial meeting, al-Nasr noted that the Doha Plan of Action gives top priority to development issues, including South-South co-operation, the fight against poverty and hunger, and the dissemination of education. The Doha Political Declaration touches on key questions such as Somalia, Iraq and Palestine as well as some issues of concern to member states seeking the group’s support, he said. Asked whether the unilateral attempts by certain countries to seal separate deals and alliances with major superpowers, especially the United States, affect their approach to collective co-operation within the group, the ambassador noted that the majority of least developed countries (LDCs) have come forward with a clear demand: that while they were grateful to advanced countries for their financial assistance, they would like these countries to help them attain development and acquire the necessary know-how to commercialise their potential, so that they would stop needing help. Al-Nasr said that the Doha summit, being held as the UN marks its 60th anniversary and ahead of the General Assembly meeting scheduled for September to review progress on the Millennium Development Goals, gives poorer countries an opportunity to harmonise stances and figure out workable demands. For his part, G77 executive secretary Mourad Ahmia expressed optimism about the group’s progress over the next five years under Qatar’s chairmanship, saying that Doha has proven time and again its keenness to help countries in their drive for development and efforts to tackle hindrances to progress. – QNA
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