PRESS BRIEFING ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES CONFERENCE

PRESS BRIEFING ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES CONFERENCE

Global policy-makers will confront economic isolation and severe poverty of the world's 49 poorest countries, at the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, which begins in Brussels, Belgium, next Monday, correspondents were told at a press briefing at United Nations Headquarters this afternoon.

Speaking as a guest at noon briefing, Yvette Stevens, Special Coordinator for Africa and Least Developed Countries in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, explained that there was general recognition that it was important to convert programmes of action into concrete measures for the world’s poorest nations.  Much had been done in advance of the Conference to ensure that it would benefit the countries concerned.  One example was the “Everything, but arms” initiative by the European Union, which provided concessions for exports to the least developed countries.

She explained that official categorization of least developed countries was introduced in 1971. Over the years, the number of such countries that have been included in that category has increased from 25 to 49.  Recommendations for inclusion on the official list are provided by the Committee for Development Policy, which meets every three years.  The decision is made on the basis of per capita gross domestic product, a quality of life index and economic vulnerability.  In 1991, the criteria were changed so that countries with a population greater than 75 million would no longer be included on the list.  Only one country -– Botswana -- had ever graduated from the list.

The Third Conference on Least Developed Countries, which is being hosted by the European Union, is expected to be results-oriented and to reach agreement on concrete steps that will allow least developed countries to reverse their slide into marginalization and extreme poverty.

In addition to elaborating a programme of action for the decade 2001-2010, she continued, conference participants would hold a special event on “The Challenge of Eradicating Poverty”, and engage in a series of interactive thematic sessions throughout the week.

The interactive sessions would be organized during the Conference, and aim at producing concrete commitments of resources, programmes and initiatives. Running parallel to these activities there would be a number of events highlighting the role of civil society, including a high-level parliamentarians round table, discussions on the digital economy and the business sector, and women entrepreneurs and youth forums.

It was expected that during the Conference certain “deliverables” would be announced, she said, which would include concrete projects and certain commitments in line with the Conference’s programme of action.  Negotiated in advance, it was hoped that they would make a major difference for the outcome of the event.

Asked about the geographical distribution of least developed countries,

Ms. Stevens said that 34 were situated in Africa, nine in Asia, one in the

Caribbean and five in the Pacific.  During its meetings, the Committee for Development Policy evaluated the status of countries on all continents.

To a question regarding the change in criteria over the years, she replied that, at the moment, the per capita income in least developed countries had to be below $800.  General poverty in developing countries had increased over the years, and the indicators reflected that situation.  The programme of action and the follow-up to the Conference would address specific areas that needed particular attention.  Health, nutrition and education were among the elements considered by the Committee for Development Policy in the determination of least developed status.

Asked if any of the countries subject to United Nations sanctions had been added to the least developed list, Ms. Stevens said that she did not think so.  The only country recently added to the list was Senegal.  Sanctions had only been applied to one country on the list -- Liberia -- and that had happened very recently. 

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