Coordinated strategy intended to help former least developed country benefit fully from global markets, Trade and Development Board told
UNCTAD Secretary-General, Cape Verdean Prime Minister, Minister of Economy say programme well-launched
Geneva, 22 September 2008 - A coordinated effort of United Nations agencies, led by UNCTAD and focusing on trade and improved connections with world markets, is well under way to enable Cape Verde to accelerate away from its former status as a least developed country (LDC), a special session of the Trade and Development Board was told this morning.
Cape Verde´s Prime Minister, José Maria Pereira Neves, speaking by video link, along with Fatima Fialho, the country´s Minister of Economy, Growth, and Competitiveness, and UNCTAD´s Secretary-General, Supachai Panitchpakdi -- both of whom spoke in person -- said all elements of the project give prominence to enhancing the island nation´s ability to expand trade and take advantage of the benefits of global commerce.
Among eight "One UN" pilot projects around the world intended to meld the efforts of different UN agencies into effective progress for specific countries, the programme for Cape Verde is the only one where trade and international issues have been specifically stressed by the government and fit directly into the national development strategy, Mr. Supachai said.
"If you are looking for a country that can show ´best practices´ in managing and receiving trade-related assistance, Cape Verde is a very good example," the Secretary-General told the meeting.
Mr. Neves characterized his country as "confident and ambitious" about its development strategy. But the Prime Minister also stressed "the importance of the continuity of the support coming from the international community."
Ms. Fialho, the Cape Verdean Minister of Economy, told the meeting that the country´s "agenda for transformation" centred on strengthening core economic sectors to make them globally competitive. She identified those sectors as high-value-added tourism; fish processing and marketing; services (including business-process outsourcing and steps to establish the country as a financial hub); transport; and expansion of the islands´ creative and cultural industries. The country already was making rapid progress, she said; and would easily meet the Millennium Development Goal of halving extreme poverty by 2015.
Cape Verde is one of only two countries to graduate from the ranks of LDCs. It exited this list of the world´s poorest countries in December 2007, joining Botswana, which did so in 1994.
The challenge now is for the country to expand its economy rapidly and to raise living standards substantially, the Board was told.
The One UN Joint Programme for Cape Verde is the first UN country plan where UNCTAD is being given the lead role in spite of its lack of a resident office, Mr. Supachai said. "Our operations are based on our research work, ad hoc missions, and specific training activities: we do not need a regular presence in the country to be effective, but UNCTAD certainly needs the same rights, obligation and access to national authorities as the resident agencies. . . What matters is the substantive content and the development impact of the assistance we provide."
Other participating agencies in the project are the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Elements of the plan, adopted in July, fall into four main categories:
- Analysis and policy advice regarding Cape Verde´s graduation process from LDC status -- already begun this year -- including on management of the country´s external debt;
- Support, analysis, advice, and training on the country´s "post-accession" to the World Trade Organization;
- Improving trade, trade policy, and government instruments to enhance trade, particularly because of Cape Verde´s economic "insularity" as an island country;
- And improving the country´s capacity to attract foreign investment and negotiate favourable investment agreements.
Funding for the plan -- for which financial support was requested at the meeting from donor countries - is anticipated at US $70 million through 2010.
Also addressing the meeting was Shishir Priyadarshi, Director of the Development Division of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Mr. Priyadarshi said Cape Verde´s graduation from LDC status was impressive, as was the country´s accession to the WTO in December 2007. Despite such progress, vulnerability and exposure to shocks remained, and the international community should not forget these challenges.
Petra Lantz-de Bernardis, UN Resident Coordinator for Cape Verde, told the meeting that while the One UN project "has been challenging, it has already reaped rewards in terms of reduced transaction and administrative costs and much increased coherence in programme content and delivery."
The "Delivering as One" or "One UN" pilot programmes were developed beginning in 2007 to improve coordination among UN agencies. Other One UN pilot projects are intended to spur economic and humanitarian progress in Albania, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Viet Nam, and Uruguay.
