An expert meeting in Geneva is examining the progress of least developed countries in implementing the Brussels Programme of Action. None of them are on target to halve poverty by 2015.

A group of experts meeting in Geneva on 29-30 May will examine the progress made in the least developed countries (LDCs) since 2001. The debate will focus on a number of country case studies and national reports.

Case studies have been prepared for: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Nepal and Uganda.

The national reports are from Benin, Rwanda, Samoa and Vanuatu.

The studies and reports identify the areas in which progress has been made in implementing the Brussels Programme of Action (A/CONF.191/11) adopted at the Third UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Brussels in 2001. The Programme of Action was adopted for the decade 2001-2010.

In the Programme of Action, four commitments are directly related to UNCTAD īs work:

• Building productive capacity
• Building human and institutional capacities
• Enhancing the role of trade in development
• Mobilizing financial resources

The studies, conducted with the financial support of Austria and Norway, take a critical look at whether these commitments have been implemented in the countries under review.

While some countries are making progress in some areas, others are not. None are on target in terms of halving poverty by 2015 (see Millennium Development: Goal 1).

The group of experts will assess how well the Brussels Programme of Action has been implemented and how LDCs have performed since LDC III. It will also consider how far development partners have met the commitments they made in 2001.

Of the 50 LDCs, only six have achieved the growth target of 7% a year:

• Angola (oil exporter)
• Chad (oil exporter)
• Equatorial Guinea (oil exporter)
• Maldives
• Mozambique
• Sierra Leone.

If the past poverty trends continue, the number of people living in poverty in LDCs will soar from 334 million in 2000 to 471 million in 2010.

The outcome of the expert group meeting, including a compilation of case studies and an analytical report on country experiences, will be made available in September 2006 at the 61st session of the UN General Assembly. On 18-19 September, UN Member States will review the progress made in implementing the Programme of Action.

The case studies will be available on the UNCTAD website shortly.