Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of ForeignAffairs Le Thi Thu Hang suggested improving internal capacity and nationalcompetitiveness on the basis of strengths and characteristics of each leastdeveloped country at the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least DevelopedCountries (LDC5) in Doha, Qatar, from March 5-8.

The role of trade and international integration asgrowth engines should be promoted, she said, stressing the need to ensurerules-based, equal, transparent and inclusive multilateral trade, and enhancing market access for these countries.

The Vietnamese official also suggested stepping upscience-technology and innovation in order to create breakthroughs for growth,and called on developed countries to transfer technology, improve capacity, and provide financially support for the LDCs in green transition and carbon emission reduction.

Hang highlighted the role of peace, internationalcooperation, and partnerships in addressing global challenges.

She used this occasion to share Vietnam’s experiencein socio-economic development, during which internal and external forces arecombined together and people are taken as the centre, momentum and target.

Vietnam is willing to work as a bridge betweendevelopment partners and the LDCs, especially through the South-South andtripartite cooperation models, she affirmed.

The conference was attended by about 5,000delegates, including heads of state, senior leaders of the LDCs, the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN General Assembly, and representativesfrom many international organisations, academia, the press, and the businesscommunity.

The participants examined the implementation of theIstanbul Programme of Action since 2011 and set orientations and priorities forcooperation in the 2023 - 2031 period with the aim of helping the LDCs swiftlyleave the group and properly implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals(SDG) roadmap.

The conference adopted the Doha Declaration,affirming strong commitments to materialising the Doha Programme of Actionadopted by the UN General Assembly in March 2022.

While in Doha, Hang held meetings with bilateral andmultilateral partners such as the Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade andInvestment, the Foreign Ministers of India, Benin, Uganda and Eswatini, and DeputyForeign Ministers of Kazakhstan and Venezuela, the World Bank Vice Presidentand the UNESCO Deputy Director General.

They sought ways to strengthen collaboration indifferent spheres like politics, diplomacy, delegation exchange, economy andtrade, and coordination at multilateral forums./.