MCIT Participates in the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha | Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

MCIT Participates in the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha

Doha – Qatar:

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) participated in the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), hosted by the State of Qatar and held at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha from 5-9 March under the slogan “From Potential to Prosperity.”

The MCIT reviewed its achievements as part of the efforts to promote sustainable development in this vital area, including the adoption of digital infrastructure solutions, e-government, artificial intelligence, and others. The MCIT also shared its vision for Qatar’s ICT sector future and its role in realizing strategic national goals.

“The State of Qatar is committed to supporting the least developed countries and helping them achieve their sustainable development goals. This commitment is reflected in Qatar’s hosting of this conference as a platform bringing together international stakeholders to exchange experiences and best practices to support LDCs achieve sustainable development goals,“ said Ms. Mashael Ali Al Hammadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Information Technology Affairs at the MCIT.

Ms. Al Hammadi added: ”The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is aware of technology’s and innovation’s vital role in advancing sustainable development. We are keen to share our experience and knowledge to help LDCs harness technology to achieve sustainable development goals.”

The Ministry reviewed six successful programs and projects that positively impacted Qatari society. These projects are Studio 5/6, Better Connections, Theqa Trustmark e-commerce program, the Digital Incubation Center, and Tasmu Smart Program solutions (The National Food Security Analytics Platform and the Digital Farmer Community Platform).

The MCIT’s presentation was delivered by Director of the MCIT’s Digital Innovation Department Ms. Eman Al Kuwari, Director of the Digital Society and Digital Competencies Department Ms. Duha Al Buhendi, and project specialists Ms. Danah Al Muftah and Ms. Noor Al Malki, in the presence of HE Ms. Reem Mohammed Al Mansoori, Assistant Undersecretary of Digital Society Development at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, along with several senior officials at the MCIT.

An event was held on the sidelines of the LDC5 Conference, which saw the launch of the French version of the United Nations e-Government Survey 2022 aimed at adopting technology to help the least developed countries in the African continent that adopt French in United Nations reports as an official language.

This survey serves as a reference and development tool to help countries learn from each other, identify areas of strength and challenges in e-government, and shape their policies and strategies. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and Morocco sponsored the side event.

The event provided specific recommendations to enhance e-government services in the least developed countries based on national experiences. It also highlighted the State of Qatar’s support for the United Nations agenda for the digital transformation of the LDCs in order to ensure the continuity of the work of all institutions, especially government entities.

The side event will help e-government program managers of the least developed countries exchange national experiences, plans, and initiatives in digital government and create opportunities for cooperation on joint activities among countries, making Qatar a footprint in LDCs’ journey towards digital transformation.

The organization of the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Doha is the culmination of an agreement between Qatar and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in October 2021, signed at the UN headquarters in New York, where the “Doha Program of Action” was approved to assist the least developed countries and presented as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.