Sub-regional meeting, first of a series, will discuss findings of UNCTAD Least-Developed Countries Reports
Authors of UNCTAD´s Least Developed Countries Reports for 2002, 2004, and 2006 will discuss the findings of the reports with officials from Eastern and Southern African Governments on 22-23 February in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. UNCTAD´s experts will underline their basic recommendation that durable, long-term poverty reduction depends on expanding the productive capacities of LDC economies.
The meeting, the first of a series of sub-regional workshops and policy dialogues to be offered to the world´s 50 poorest nations -- the least developed countries (LDCs) -- is intended to offer Governments and their advisors information on UNCTAD research on productive capacities, economic growth, poverty reduction, and trade as they apply to LDCs. Along with Government officials, representatives of LDC development partners and senior executives of private-sector development institutions are expected to attend. In recent years, UNCTAD´s work on behalf of LDCs has focused on poverty reduction, a key element of the Millennium Development Goals and a principle objective of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010.
The workshops will also draw on the expertise of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), which has established an African Learning Group on Poverty Reduction Strategies. The ECA will offer presentations on this subject at the workshop.
The Least Developed Countries Reports for 2002, 2004 and 2006 build a triad. The 2002 Report highlighted that high and sustained rates of economic growth can make a significant contribution to poverty reduction; the 2004 Report examined whether international trade can serve as an engine for economic growth; and the 2006 Report highlights that enhancing productive capacities is the most reliable, long-term path for economic growth.
The development of productive capacities -- that is, enabling countries to produce a wider variety of products across a variety of economic sectors - requires countries to overcome three fundamental constraints: underdeveloped infrastructure (electricity supply, transport networks); weak institutions (banks, business-support institutions, knowledge systems); and weak demand (domestic and international). At the heart of discussions at the workshops will be such issues as capital accumulation, which requires substantial investment; technological progress, which involves genuine and viable transfer of technology; and structural change, which is associated with increasing specialization in high-value added economic activities and rising labour productivity.
The Least Developed Countries Reports have consistently highlighted the important role of international trade in the development of LDCs, but they have also taken the view that trade development has failed to promote socio-economic progress in many LDCs. In fact, some of these countries have been unable to take advantage of the new trading opportunities offered by economic globalization because of the weakness of their productive capacities. Enhancing these capacities is now seen by UNCTAD´s LDC experts as the major route to sustained, broad-based economic progress in LDCs.
Several LDCs have asked UNCTAD to assume a more active role in the Integrated Framework for Trade-related Technical Assistance to LDCs, and to also provide more assistance in the context of Poverty Reduction Strategies of the LDCs. This workshop is one way in which UNCTAD is responding to these requests.
The 22-23 February workshop will be held at the UNECA Conference Centre in Addis Ababa. The press conference is schedules for 9-10 am in Room 5. For registration for the press conference and the opening session of the meeting, please contact Sophia Denekew at ECA: sdenekew@uneca.org or T: + 251 11 5445098.
For more information on:
2002 LDC Report :
- Extreme poverty in LDCs will worsen if current trends persist (TAD/INF/PR44)
- Global anti-poverty efforts must address link between commodity dependence and extreme poverty, says UNCTAD (TAD/INF/PR45)
- UNCTAD proposes alternative approach to improve poverty reduction strategies in LDCs (TAD/INF/PR46)
2004 LDC Report :
- World´s poorest economies are performing better, says UNCTAD, but structural weaknesses must be addressed (UNCTAD/PRESS/PR/2004/009)
- Trade alone is not enough, says UNCTAD; poverty reduction requires development-led trade (UNCTAD/PRESS/PR/2004/010)
- UNCTAD calls for end to development pessimism (UNCTAD/PRESS/PR/2004/011)
2006 LDC Report:
- Poverty reduction through production (UNCTAD/PRESS/PR/2006/014)
- World´s poorest countries face employment transition (UNCTAD/PRESS/PR/2006/015)
- Aid to least developed countries increases, but is mainly driven by debt relief and emergencies, report says (UNCTAD/PRESS/PR/2006/016)
