DILI, 29 september 2020 (TATOLI)- Timor’s Foreign Minister, Adaljiza Magno participated at the LDCs Foreign Ministers virtual meeting realized at the General Assembly to discuss how the COVID-19 has dramatically hampered efforts for more vulnerable countries to meet their development goals.
During the virtual meeting, representatives from LDCs discussed the challenges facing by LDCs such as climate-related disasters, limited financial resources, economic instability and disruptions to trade activities and incomes, together with other social problems toward achieving the sustainable development goals by 2030, and the acceleration progress on the Istanbul program of action for LDCs, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MNEC), Adaljiza Magno, suggested four (4) LDCs issues that should be prioritized, towards the Istanbul Programme of Action and the Sustainable Development Goals during Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Foreign Ministers virtual meeting at the General Assembly.
The four LDCs issues are the recognition of the special needs of LDCs, respect for commitments under the Paris Agreement, promotion of investment and trade access for LDCs, and the importance of the United Nations Project on New Assistance Measures for Graduating Countries towards the Achievement of Agenda 2030.
Ms Magno also addressing the meeting by explaining the impacts of COVID-19 to Timor-Leste and the measures that the Government has taken to responds to the pandemic.
It is recalled that the first positive case was confirmed on March 21, 2020 in Timor-Leste, the government has issued the first period of state emergency, the government worked in collaboration with the World Health Organization, borders were closed, quarantine and isolation units were set up and the team were formed to raised awareness among the population.
The government has also stablished the Integrated Crisis Management Centre and allowed coordinated work between all sectors; partnership countries include organizations involved in the fight against covid-19.
The country also took advantage of the impact of COVID-19 to establish a people-centered Economic Recovery Plan that will reactivate the national economy with short, medium- and long-term measures. It is a means of stemming the loss of jobs and incomes, and take opportunity to correct structural weakness.
So far Timor-Leste recorded 27 positive cases from March to March, of which 26 were recovered. To date no one has gone into intensive care.
Journalist: Hortêncio Sánchez
Editor: Agapito dos Santos
