The United Nations (hereafter, the UN) hosted the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (hereafter, LDC5) on March 5-9, 2023 in Doha, Qatar. The UN has convened a global conference to galvanize international support for the socio-economic development of the least developed countries (hereafter, LDCs) every decade, with the first-ever conference held in Paris, France in 1981. Although the LDC5 was scheduled to take place in 2021, it was delayed by a year due to COVID-19. The first part of the LDC5, which took place in New York in March 2022, adopted the Doha Programme of Action (hereafter, DPoA). The main conference in Doha was the second part of the LDC5.

The second part of the LDC5 aimed for the following: First, identify actions and partnerships for effective delivery of the DPoA; Second, undertake a comprehensive appraisal of the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action (hereafter, IPoA) for 2011-2020; Third, mobilize additional international support for the LDCs; and fourth, agree on a renewed partnership between the LDCs and donor countries and agencies. The LDC5 is comprised of opening and closing ceremonies, as well as general debate and 8 parallel high-level thematic roundtables. The thematic roundtables centered around human capital, science, technology and innovation (STI), structural transformation, international trade and regional integration, climate change, pandemic and resilience, resource mobilization and global partnership, and sustainable graduation from the LDC list.

In addition to the heads of state, many representatives from developing countries, development partners, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, academia, and young professionals participated in the LDC5. Second Vice Minister Lee Dohoon participated as the country representative of the Republic of Korea (hereafter, Korea) to express Korea’s support for and solidarity with the LDCs and their efforts at promoting sustainable development.