Rural development among key precedence for LDC, says UN
08 Jun '06
3 min read
Increased focus on agriculture and infrastructure development is critical in the fight against poverty and hunger in the world's 50 least developed countries (LDCs), a senior United Nations envoy said in Benin.
“Since 2001 we have seen positive economic growth in many of the LDCs but that has not significantly impacted on the level of poverty,” Anwarul Chowdhury told the opening of a two-day ministerial meeting in Cotonou, where over 100 LDC representatives have gathered to review progress of a 10-year plan to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development in their territories.
“Social and human development indicators are still cause for concern. Our resolve over the next five years should be to ensure that the millions of impoverished people in LDCs see a tangible difference in their daily lives,” said Mr. Chowdhury, who is the UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.
He noted that although more than 72 per cent of the population in LDCs live in rural areas, the agricultural sector remains over-reliant on rudimentary equipment and outdated technologies. Erratic weather conditions have further exacerbated the situation, often leading to widespread food insecurity in these already fragile countries, he said.
The High Representative stressed that although there had been encouraging developments during the first five years of the implementation of the Programme of Action, the overall results were mixed.
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