Almami Fanding Taal

The Gambia Takes the Helm of the UN Least Developed Countries Group The Gambia has assumed the chairmanship of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), taking over from Nepal for a three-year term. The Group elected The Gambia by consensus at its plenary meeting on 2 September at United Nations Headquarters in New York, after the African Group of Ambassadors endorsed Banjul’s candidacy. The Gambia formally took the chair at the LDC Ministerial Meeting on 25 September, when Vice President Mohammed B.S. Jallow received the handover from Nepal. The ceremony was attended by the President of the UN General Assembly, the Deputy Secretary-General, and the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for LDCs, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. Jallow thanked member states for their confidence and pledged that The Gambia would serve with dedication, fairness and diligence, working with members and development partners to implement the Doha Programme of Action for the LDCs for the Decade 2022–2031. In New York, Ambassador Lamin B. Dibba, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will lead the chairmanship, with Counsellor Binta Jeng coordinating negotiations and expert-level work. The LDC Group comprises 44 countries across Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Caribbean, within a wider group of 92 countries in special situations. It is the main platform for coordinating common positions on sustainable development, financing, debt, trade, climate action, technology transfer and productive capacities. As chair, The Gambia will set strategic direction, preserve unity, facilitate consensus and represent the LDCs with the UN system and partners. Priorities include effective delivery of the Doha Programme of Action, stronger accountability for commitments, and support for countries approaching graduation. The Gambia has also taken the LDC chair in Geneva, covering work at UNCTAD and WIPO. Ambassador Prof. Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva and LDC coordinator at the WTO, received the role at the Palais des Nations. He said The Gambia assumes the chair at a defining moment and pledged continuity, unity and ambition, keeping development central at UNCTAD and ensuring intellectual property at WIPO supports technology transfer and structural transformation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs congratulated the Vice President and Ambassadors Dibba and Kah and pledged continued support.