Brussels, 10/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - "The wellbeing of humanity as a whole lies quite simply in the future of the poorest". This quote from Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, sets the tone and the spirit of the third United Nations conference on the least developed countries, that will be hosted from 14 to 20 May on the premises of the European Parliament in Brussels. There are 49 such countries where half the population lives with less than one dollar per day (according to the United Nations definition).
During a press conference, this Thursday in Brussels, Poul Nielson, European Commissioner for Development, and Rubens Recupero, Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, explained the stakes of this conferences, expected to lead to an action plan capable of eliminating poverty in the least developed countries by simplifying their progressive integration into the world economy, with the support of the international community.
For Poul Nielson, this international meeting has as main aim to: 1) stimulate the awareness of poverty in world public opinion and to raise interest in the need to find global solution to this scourge; 2) incite the developed countries to examine what they are doing for these less developed countries, not only in terms of cooperation for development, but also in terms of the fight against climatic change, market access, scientific cooperation, etc. 3) encourage the developing countries to put pressure on their decision-makers for them to draw-up policies that answer the failures in development and the expectations for democracy.
"The Union is convinced of the need to achieve concrete results that will make the difference for the less development peoples", stated the Commissioner, when recalling the main paths for intervention favoured by the Commission - priority allocation of resources to SMEs in cooperation for development, unlimited access to products from these countries to European markets, increased technical assistance for the respect of sanitary and phytosanitary standards on the export markets, dropping of anti-dumping measures against these countries, aid to facilitate their accession to the WTO and their access to medicines by using the flexibility of the TRIPS agreements, reinforcing the fight against transmissible diseases, and intensifying debt relief (see the Commission's communication on this subject in EUROPE of 12 April, p.9). The Union hopes to create the necessary impetus at the conference for others to follow suit. A good result will depend on the acknowledgement by the international community that the complexity of problems requires a joint effort from partners, LDCs and developed countries.
Rubens Recupero, for his part, insisted on the innovative nature of this conference which, unlike previous conferences (Paris 1981 and 1990) will not be limited to governments alone but enlarged to the private sector (high officials of major industrial groups will take part in the work) and to the organised civil society, which will meet in a forum of NGOs throughout the conference. The opening of the conference by two round tables on the "challenge of eradicating poverty" bears witness to this innovation. One of them, chaired by Kofi Annan will include several Heads of State and Government as well as representatives of large NGOs such as Oxfam, "which shows that the solution will not come from governments alone", stressed Mr Recupero. He went on to add: "no fundamental aspect of the problem will be neglected as it is not possible to simplify development problems. Each day will be devoted to a particular aspect and the conference will, for the first time, give way to interactive debates". Investment and market access will take up a central place in discussions.
The main themes of work will be:
Monday 14 - morning: opening ceremony and round tables on eradication of poverty - afternoon: governance, peace and social stability.
Tuesday 15 May - morning: enhancing productive capacities - the agricultural sector and food security; afternoon: intellectual property and development.
Wednesday 16 May: enhancing productive capacities: the role of health.
Thursday 17 May - morning: international trade, commodities and services/tourism; afternoon: energy.
Friday 18 May - morning: enhancing productive capacities: the role of investment and enterprise development; afternoon: human resources development and employment.
Saturday 19 May - morning: infrastructure development; afternoon: transport.
Sunday 20 May: financing growth and development.
Among the parallel events there will be a parliamentary round table, a meeting of mayors devoted to city to city cooperation, a round table on migration and refugees, a business sector round table, a meeting of young entrepreneurs, a workshop on the digital economy, a youth forum and a women entrepreneurs forum.
The closing ceremony, on Sunday, should come after the adoption of an action plan for sustainable development of the least developed countries and their progressive integration into the world economy.