EuropaWorld 16/2/2001 The Third United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries

The origins of the Conference lie in the late 1960s, after the newly-created UN Conference on Trade and Development, (UNCTAD), recognized that certain countries needed specific and urgent assistance to aid their development. Having accepted the inadequacy of treating developing countries as a homogenous group, UNCTAD experts undertook detailed research into their differing social and economic situations. UNCTAD also decided to establish a list of the very poorest and structurally weakest countries that had developed least. Although such a task was fraught with methodological and political problems, after considerable debate, it was finally agreed to define the Least Developed Countries using the following criteria: a per capita gross domestic product of $100 (in 1968 United States dollars) or less; a share of manufacturing in total GDP of 10 per cent or less; an adult literacy rate of 20 per cent or less. An original list of 24 LDCs - the majority in Africa - was approved by the United Nations General Assembly in 1971.

Once this definition was completed UNCTAD began more focused analytical work about the type of assistance required. An intergovernmental group was convened in 1975, to outline a substantial new programme of action to accelerate LDC development. The programme contained guidelines for domestic action by LDCs, which were to be complemented by international support measures in the areas of aid, debt and trade. It was unanimously adopted by the subsequent First United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries which convened in 1981. The programme was then implemented by the international community. Its progress was reviewed when the Second UN Conference on LDCs met in Paris in 1990.

Despite major policy reforms initiated by domestic economies, and supportive measures taken by international donors, the economic situation of LDCs as a whole worsened during the 1980s. Domestic policy shortcomings were exacerbated by natural disasters and conflict. In addition, external debt servicing emerged as a major problem.

The Second UN Conference on Least Developed Countries therefore agreed that further national and international policies were needed to arrest and reverse this socio-economic deterioration. In the subsequent Paris Declaration, the international community committed itself to urgent and effective action, based on the principle of shared responsibility and strengthened partnership, to revitalise the growth and development of the LDCs.

One notable focus in the Paris Declaration was the need for development to be human-centred and broadly based. Respect for human rights and observance of the rule of law, and the importance of decentralisation, democratisation and transparency at all levels of decision-making were also emphasised, marking a shift away policies based purely on economic measures.

UNCTAD claim that the existence of a list identifying the poorest countries has heightened awareness of their plight and has resulted in special trade or debt relief measures being granted. Despite this however, the overall LDC picture remains one of increasing poverty and marginalisation. Indeed the number of countries on the LDC list has doubled since its conception. 48 countries are currently defined as LDCs with a combined population of some 700 million people. Debt servicing, conflict, trade barriers and the AIDS pandemic continue to threaten their development progress.

When it meets in May the Third UN Conference on Least Developed Countries will have the task of reviewing progress and focusing the minds of the international community on some of these issues. Another new challenge this time is climate change. Preparatory work on a draft action programme is ongoing. The task for the Brussels Conference will be to ensure that the world commits to the action rather than to the programme.