INCREASED EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORLD’S POOREST COUNTRIES DESCRIBED AT HEADQUARTERS BRIEFING BY INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE

INCREASED EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORLD’S POOREST COUNTRIES DESCRIBED

AT HEADQUARTERS BRIEFING BY INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE

NEW YORK, 18 February -- Entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses in the world’s poorest countries can break through their trade impasse with strategic marketing guidance that makes use of new technologies and cooperation between governments, business and international organizations, Denis Belisle, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, told the United Nations today.  The 49 nations classified as least developed countries currently account for less than one half of one per cent of global trade, and in a difficult global economic environment their share has not increased significantly in recent years.

Despite the challenges and risks posed by globalization, increasing international interdependence and the proliferation of new technologies are key factors that can enable businesses from the world’s 49 least developed countries to penetrate key niche markets around the world, Mr. Belisle said in a briefing.  This strategy focuses on products that may or may not derive from raw commodities, but have more value added, stimulate more employment and fetch a higher price on the international market.  Upgrading coffee production to gourmet status and holding international auctions over the Internet and exporting translation services are examples of marketing opportunities the International Trade Centre has used to help least developed countries-based businesses.

The session at United Nations Headquarters was sponsored by the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States and moderated by the High Representative, Anwarul K. Chowdhury.

Mr. Belisle presented the work of the Trade Centre in forwarding the action plan for least developed countries that was negotiated at a year 2000 meeting in Brussels, as well as in facilitating the current round of global trade negotiations that was initiated in 2001 in Doha.  In this regard, the Trade Centre is providing technical assistance to build productive capacities in the least developed countries, build trade expertise and national institutions and promote export diversification.  The Geneva-based Centre works in association with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Trade Organization.

In his presentation, Mr. Chowdhury, formerly ambassador of Bangladesh to the United Nations and a leader at the Brussels conference, stated that the least developed countries will increasingly rely on trade to generate the resources for financing growth and development, to complement, but not replace official development assistance and incoming investment.  He warned, however, that least

developed country participation in international trade is severely limited by demand and supply-side constraints and unfavourable market access conditions in rich country markets.

The 18 February meeting is the first in a series of Open Forum for Partnerships that are being organized by Mr. Chowdhury’s Office to provide a platform for development organizations, particularly United Nations system organizations outside New York, to share their activities and perspectives on development of least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States.

For more information, contact Tim Wall, Development Section, Department of Public Information, at 1-212-963-5851; wallt@un.org.

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