On 12 February 2019, Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, received Ms. Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu, United Nations Under Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS) during her visit to Thailand to participate in the Euro – Asian Regional Midterm Review of the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA) for the Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014 – 2024, held at the United Nations Convention Centre in Bangkok.

 

During the discussion, the Thai side reaffirmed its commitment to promoting development cooperation - bilaterally, trilaterally and multilaterally - with LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS to support them in their endeavors to overcome specific development challenges through the sharing of knowledge and best practices, including His Majesty the late King’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP). Thailand, as the Chair of ASEAN in 2019, places the issue of connectivity at the heart of its chairmanship with the aim to enhance regional connectivity to create a “Seamless ASEAN” and promote “connecting the connectivities”. Moreover, Thailand has undertaken several measures to facilitate trade with LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS through multilateral fora such as WTO and UNCTAD.

 

The Euro – Asian Regional Midterm Review of the Vienna Programme of Action (VpoA) is a regional preparatory meeting for the High-level Midterm Review of VPoA to be held in December this year in New York. In addition, the High-level Midterm Review of SAMOA Pathway will be held during the high-level week of the 74th session of UNGA in September this year in order to address the challenges of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).