Phnom Penh (Cambodia) on 28-30 October 2008
Geneva, 28 October 2008 - UNCTAD is organizing a sub-regional workshop on productive capacities, economic growth and poverty reduction in Phnom Penh (Cambodia) from 28 to 30 October 2008. This event, targeted to the Asian least developed countries (LDCs), will be co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister, Minister of Commerce of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
The workshop has four objectives:
- to present key findings from UNCTAD´s research on productive capacities and poverty reduction in LDCs;
- to examine the relevant country experiences in the light of these findings;
- to assess the national development strategies and policies based on UNCTAD´s conceptualization of poverty reduction; and,
- to facilitate future networking between UNCTAD and LDCs.
In order to reduce poverty, LDCs need to enhance productive capacity - that is, to diversify what they produce and sell on world markets. They must increase manufacturing, improve their use of science and technology, find greater sources of domestic investment (rather than depending heavily on official foreign aid), and create jobs for increasingly urbanized populations.
Two other seminars have already taken place in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) in February 2007 for LDCs in Eastern and Southern Africa and in Dakar (Senegal) in February 2008 for the benefit of Central and Western African LDCs.
