Statement by the Managing Director during Preparatory Committee Organizational Session for LDC5

We remain grateful to the UN-OHRLLS for this space where we can share our experiences as we are working towards a comprehensive appraisal of the implementation of the the  Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA), ahead of the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha, Qatar, next year. [...] Before we could go into the deeper tranches of commodities and how it impacts the lives of the billions, I feel compelled to draw your attention to a few disturbing trends that we would have to address before and beyond Doha. [...] They are the ones creating all the value and taking the risk, but earning the least in the entire chain. [...] This is the intersection where 4iR is not only making inroads into the rugged terrain of some part of the developing world, it is also a fountain head of impact investments as business leaders are also beginning to appreciate the need to nurture a culture of lifelong learning, equipping their workforces with the skills necessary to succeed in the future. [...] On the road to Doha, our challenge is figuring out the intermediate steps they need to take to harness and realize the benefits of the Industry 4.0 future.