One of the advantages of working for an international organization is being able to participate in discussions about tendencies of the world in many different fields. United Nation’s mission is primarily “ to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations; to cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these ends”. To meet its goals, the UN is divided into many different bodies that are in charge of missions in specific fields. UNCTAD is one of the bodies that make up the large body complex. UNCTAD was established in 1964 to promote the development and friendly integration of developing countries into the world economy. One of it main functions is “to provide technical assistance tailored to the specific requirements of developing countries, with special attention to the needs of the least developed countries and of economies in transition. When appropriate, UNCTAD cooperates with other organizations and donor countries in the delivery of technical assistance.”
Based on this brief explanation of the organizational division and missions of the UN and the UNCTAD, I want to present one of the interesting informal lunchtime presentation that all staff members are invited to join.
Mr. Charles Gore works for the UNCTAD doing research about Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) and its role in the world’s trade. He specializes on how science, technology an innovation can be integrated into trade and development policies of the LDC’s. In his final report, Mr. Gore suggest four key policy issues that national governments in LDC’s can apply to foster development in those countries. In the link http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Page.asp?intItemID=1530&lang=1 are summarize his main findings.
During the speech, my concern was to find the differences between LDC’s and Developing countries. Here there is a complete description of the LDC meaning:
Since 1971, the United Nations has denominated "Least Developed Countries" (LDCs) a category of States that are deemed highly disadvantaged in their development process (many of them for geographical reasons), and facing more than other countries the risk of failing to come out of poverty. As such, the LDCs are considered to be in need of the highest degree of attention on the part of the international community. Three United Nations Conferences on the Least Developed Countries were held in 1981, 1990, and 2001 under the leadership of UNCTAD. The third conference (Brussels, 14-20 May 2001) agreed on the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 . By periodically reviewing the list of LDCs on the basis of established criteria and highlighting their structural problems in relevant UNCTAD publications, the UN gives a strong signal to the development partners of these countries, and points to the need for special international support measures and concessions in their favour.
Since 1971, the United Nations has denominated "Least Developed Countries" (LDCs) a category of States that are deemed highly disadvantaged in their development process (many of them for geographical reasons), and facing more than other countries the risk of failing to come out of poverty. As such, the LDCs are considered to be in need of the highest degree of attention on the part of the international community. Three United Nations Conferences on the Least Developed Countries were held in 1981, 1990, and 2001 under the leadership of UNCTAD. The third conference (Brussels, 14-20 May 2001) agreed on the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 . By periodically reviewing the list of LDCs on the basis of established criteria and highlighting their structural problems in relevant UNCTAD publications, the UN gives a strong signal to the development partners of these countries, and points to the need for special international support measures and concessions in their favour.
At the time of the 2003 review of the list, the following three criteria were used by the UN:
low income, in the light of a three-year average estimate of the gross national income per capita (under $750 for cases of addition to the list, above $900 for cases of graduation);
weak human assets, as measured through a composite Human Assets Index; and economic vulnerability, as measured through a composite Economic Vulnerability Index.
low income, in the light of a three-year average estimate of the gross national income per capita (under $750 for cases of addition to the list, above $900 for cases of graduation);
weak human assets, as measured through a composite Human Assets Index; and economic vulnerability, as measured through a composite Economic Vulnerability Index.
Recognition by the UN of the particular problems faced by LDCs brought the development partners of these countries, including UN agencies and programmes, to adopt a range of special support measures in their favour. These measures are essentially designed to reduce the competitive disadvantages LDCs suffer from in the global economy; support the development of their physical infrastructure and human resources; and enhance their institutional capacities. LDC-specific treatment mainly falls under three areas of international cooperation: in the multilateral trading system, special concessions, such as non-reciprocal market access preferences (e.g. the European Union's "Everything But Arms" initiative), are granted to LDCs; in the field of development financing, bilateral, regional and multilateral donors and financial institutions are expected to give LDCs specially favourable consideration in their decisions on concessionary financing; and in the area of technical assistance, priority is given to LDCs under all cooperation programmes of the UN, and bilateral and regional development partners are encouraged to follow the same preferential policy.
Source: http://www.unctad.org/
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