UN OFFICE OF THE HIGHREPRESENTATIVE FOR THE LEASTDEVELOPED COUNTRIES,LANDLOCKED DEVELOPINGCOUNTRIES AND SMALL ISLANDDEVELOPING STATES

INSIDE:A New Vision, A New Strategywith New Solutions for theDevelopment of the LDCs

Reasserting the Role of Parliamentsin the New Programme of Action

Summer 2011

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Contents

THE COMMITMENT Summer 2011

UN OFFICE OF THE HIGHREPRESENTATIVE FOR THE LEASTDEVELOPED COUNTRIES,LANDLOCKED DEVELOPINGCOUNTRIES AND SMALL ISLANDDEVELOPING STATES

INSIDE:A New Vision, A New Strategywith New Solutions for theDevelopment of the LDCs

UNDP Emphasizes GoodGovernance as a Key Factorfor Success of LDCs

Summer 2011

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On the CoverThe Fourth United Nations Conference on Least DevelopedCountries in May this year concluded on a high note with theadoption of a comprehensive, ambitious and result oriented 10-year Istanbul Program of Action. UN Secretary-General BanKi-moon addresses the gathering. To his left, Cheick Sidi Diarra,Secretary-General of the Conference, Under-Secretary-Generaland High Representative for the Least Developed Countries,Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island DevelopingStates and to his right, the President of Turkey, Dr. Abdullah Gül.

3 | A New Vision, A New Strategy with NewSolutions for the Development of the LDCs

4 | Reaffirming the Commitment to Address theSpecial Needs of Least Developed Countries

5 | Turkey Declares LDC-IV Outcome andDeclaration a Complete Success

6 | Reasserting the Role of Parliaments in theNew Programme of Action

7 | Elevating the Role of the Private Sector in LDC Development

8 | Developed Countries Should Help the LeastDeveloped Countries: Indian Ambassador Puri

9 | Switzerland Focuses on “DevelopingPartnerships” with the Least DevelopedCountries

10 | Civil Society: Changing the Paradigm ofDevelopment

11 | Oxfam Calls for Transformation to EndInjustice that Results in LDCs Sufferingfrom Poverty

12 | Promising Deliverables at Istanbul ConferenceSpecial Events

13 | UNDP Emphasizes Good Governance as aKey Factor for Success of LDCs

14 | Solomon Islands Increasingly Face the Impactof Climate Change

15 | Istanbul Declaration

UNITED NATIONSDag Hammarskjold Library

L-221 KNew York, NY 10017www.mediaglobal.org

MEDIAGLOBAL is an independentinternational media organization, basedin the United Nations, creatingawareness in the global media on socialjustice and development issues in theworld’s least developed countries.MediaGlobal is headquartered in NewYork with offices in the United NationsSecretariat. With a strong focus on theglobal South, MediaGlobal disseminatesnews stories globally on economicdevelopment, global health, food securityand the impact of climate change ondeveloping countries.

The Commitment is published incooperation with the United NationsOffice of the High Representative forLeast Developed Countries, LandlockedDeveloping Countries and Small IslandDeveloping States. For information,contact us at:

Telephone: 609.529.6129 and Email: media@mediaglobal.org

Publisher and EditorNosh Nalavala

CoordinatorsRicardo Dunn

Grace Gabala Elle Wang

MediaGlobal Correspondents(at the United Nations)

Kristina KolesaCourtney Brooks

Elisha YoonEmma Diab

Pamela ThomasErik Markewich

The Fourth United Nations Conferenceon Least Developed Countries in sessionin Turkey in May.

3Summer 2011 THE COMMITMENT

A New Vision, A New Strategy with NewSolutions for the Development of the LDCs

Cheick Sidi Diarra, Under-Secretary-General and HighRepresentative for the Least Developed Countries,Landlocked Developing Countries and Small IslandDeveloping States.

The Fourth United Nations conferenceconcluded on a high note on 13 May 2011

with the adoption of a comprehensive, ambitiousand result oriented 10-year Istanbul Program ofAction. The conference was a huge success; morethan 8,900 accredited participants attended the conference including heads of states,parliamentarians, heads of UN agencies andother international organizations as well as civilsociety representatives and business leaders.However, the ultimate success of the conferencewill rest on the full and effective implementationof its outcome.

The challenges faced by the least developedcountries (LDCs) today are real, they are seriousand they are many. The new programme ofaction charts out a new vision, a new strategywith new solutions for the development of theLDCs for the next decade. It is a mutually agreedcompact between LDCs and their developmentpartners as well as parliamentarians, privatesector, civil society and international financialinstitutions, with the ambitious goal to graduate24 LDCs (half the number of total LDCs) out of this category by 2020 by focusing on thefollowing eight priority areas: (1) productivecapacity, (2) agriculture, (3) trade, (4) commodities, (5) human and socialdevelopment, (6) multiple crises and otheremerging challenges, (7) mobilizing financialresources and ( 8) good governance at all levels.

Now, how do we do this? To me the answer is clear, by reaffirming and

strengthening our commitments to the LDCs.Now more than ever, the state of the LDCseconomies calls for action, not only to create newjobs, but to lay the foundation for growth. Wehave all agreed on the necessity of a strongpartnership to assist LDCs, strengthen theirdomestic productive capacity, diversify theireconomies, enhance investments, develop theirinfrastructures, develop their resilience toexternal shocks, promote inclusive and equitablegrowth and generate employment and decentwork for all, especially for the youth.

For everywhere I look, there is work to be done. This is the journey we must embark on today. n

We have all agreed on the necessity of a strongpartnership to assist LDCs, strengthen their domesticproductive capacity, diversify their economies, enhanceinvestments, develop their infrastructures, develop theirresilience to external shocks, promote inclusive andequitable growth and generate employment and decentwork for all, especially for the youth.

“ “Message from Cheick Sidi Diarra, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the LeastDeveloped Countries, Landlocked DevelopingCountries and Small Island Developing States

4 THE COMMITMENT Summer 2011

Reaffirming the Commitment to Address theSpecial Needs of Least Developed Countries

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey receives Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan at the FourthUnited Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries.

Delegations attending the Fourth UnitedNations Conference on the Least

Developed Countries (UN LDC IV) in Istanbullast month reaffirmed the overarching goal of the Istanbul Programme of Action: to enable half of the LDCs to achieve the conditions forgraduation within the next decade. The ultimateaim is to secure the phasing out of the LDCcategory — an objective that reflects allstakeholders’ shared responsibility to build amore inclusive, sustainable, equitable and justglobal society.

UN LDC IV took place May 9-13 this yearand featured statements from Abdullah Gül,President of the Republic of Turkey, President ofthe Conference; Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General; Joseph Deiss of Switzerland, Presidentof the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly;Boni Yayi, President of the Republic of Benin;José Manuel Barroso, President of the EuropeanCommission; Jhala Nath Khanal, Prime Ministerof the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepaland Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries; Pascal Lamy, Director-General of the World TradeOrganization; and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,Managing Director of the World Bank, and anumber of other dignitaries.

Over the course of the five-day conference,delegations reviewed progress made inimplementing the Brussels Programme of Action(BPoA) over the last decade, identifying keychallenges and setting forth proposals to addressthem. They called for a renewed and enhancedpartnership to help LDCs achieve sustainabledevelopment. Many also called for theconference to become a “watershed event” that

finally enables a large number of LDCs toachieve the conditions for graduation in the nextdecade. After all, support for the poorest andmost vulnerable countries is a moral obligationof the international community, the delegationsagreed.

A total of 142 statements were delivered ateight plenary meetings attended by 19 Heads ofState and Government, 10 Vice Presidents andDeputy Prime Ministers, 60 Ministers and Vice-Ministers, 33 Chiefs of Delegations, and 21other observers and UN entities.

Many speakers emphasized that theinitiatives under the new Istanbul Programme ofAction should reflect, not new ideas, but newpriorities, and that the commitments should seekto refine past approaches, using as guidance theexperience of the last 10 years. To produce realand valuable innovation and improvements,existing institutions and support mechanismsshould be adapted to new requirements that have emerged zablishing a global centre forscience, technology and innovation to facilitateknowledge-sharing among stakeholders andimprove productive and administrativecapacities, disseminate best practices, andsupport commercial collaboration andinvestment. Drawing upon the experience of the BPoA, many delegations called for a newprogramme of “Aid for Investment” that wouldcomplement the successful initiatives on “Aid for Trade.”

Delegations also asserted that LDCs needtargeted, timely and adequate support inbuilding their institutional capacities and inenhancing resources to withstand and mitigatethe impacts of exogenous shocks arising from the global food, energy, and financial crises.Furthermore, robust monitoring and evaluationof the new Istanbul Programme of Action wascited as an essential tool to ensure rapid learningand diffusion of best practices so that the newProgramme of Action achieves maximumeffectiveness.

Overall, the conference addressed six mainthemes:

• Enhancing productive capacities and therole of the private sector in LDCs;

• Mobilizing resources for development and global partnership;

• Harnessing trade for LDC developmentand transformation;

• Improving governance at all levels;• Reducing vulnerabilities, responding to

emerging challenges and enhancing foodsecurity in the least developed countries;

• Facilitating human and socialdevelopment, gender equality andempowerment of women.

At its closing plenary meeting on May 13,the Conference adopted the Istanbul Declarationand the Programme of Action for the LeastDeveloped Countries for 2011 to 2020. n

Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso, President of EuropeanCommission and Mr. Ahmet Davutoglu, ForeignMinister of Turkey at the 1st Plenary Meeting on theOccasion of the Fourth United Nations Conference onthe Least Developed Countries (Istanbul, Turkey 9 May2011)

5Summer 2011 THE COMMITMENT

Turkey Declares LDC-IV Outcome andDeclaration a Complete Success

Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, PermanentRepresentative of Turkey to the United Nations.

NOSH NALAVALA: Ambassador, you were at theIstanbul conference. Are you happy with theoutcome and declaration at the conference?AMBASSADOR ERTUGRUL APAKAN: We aresatisfied with the Istanbul Programme of Action,in particular the Istanbul Declaration. This is theoutcome of almost 4 months of discussions andnegotiations in New York.

Who were the participants in the discussions?These were between LDCs, G7 group,development partners and some UN agencies.The Istanbul Programme of Action is animportant document. It is an importantdocument for the international community, forthe LDCs, and for the global economy, becausethere are aspects of it that may be described aslessons learned.

Lessons learned from the shortfall of BPoA?Yes, from the Brussels Programme — mainlywhen it comes to implementation, and also thecurrent questions facing the least developedcountries and the international economy. Thedocument a) addresses LDCs themselves, b) the development partners, c) the UN, andinternational agencies, all of them workingtowards the revitalization of the developmentprocess. We need a strong development agenda. I believe Istanbul conference made a bigcontribution to the revitalization of thedevelopment process.

BPoA was for various reasons not considered acomplete success, particularly since developedcountries did not make the 0.7% of GNPcommitment that they had promised. Did youget a feel at the Istanbul conference that thedeveloped countries were serious aboutcontinuing with the commitment they madelong back? If you look at the big picture, there have beennew additions to the Brussels Programme ofAction. The BPoA was very much focused on theaid for trade. In Istanbul the focus was on aid for

trade plus, in order to enhance productivecapacity and investment in the least developedcountries. At any rate, the development partnersreconfirmed their commitment to revisit thesubject of ODA in 2015, with a view toenhancing these figures.

Are you saying that they would increase the0.7% commitment?There are two different aspects here. First, thequality of ODA. Secondly, what is the actualpercentage allocated to LDCs? We need to putthese in proper perspectives for developmentpartners to re- evaluate these figures in 2015.

Were there any new developments at theIstanbul conference?This time, the role of parliaments and thepresence of the private sector was new. Close to 600 CEOs were present in Istanbul. This issomething new for a global UN conference. Andparliamentarians from development partners andLDCs have committed themselves to monitorthe results and the future implementation of theIstanbul Programme of Action.

What about the role of women?It is a good point. The role of women in thedevelopment process was emphasized inIstanbul, and in that context, Madam MichelleBachelet of UN Women spoke to the delegatesand there were several side events on the topic ofgender equality and women empowerment.

Ambassador, I wanted to focus on Turkey’scommitment of $200 million annually to theLDCs starting in 2012. Your country strives toincrease direct investment to LDCs to $10billion by 2020. In what particluar sectors inthe LDCs do you see Turkey invest in? Are youtalking about direct investment, orcontributing to certain specific sectors?Of course, we are going to proceed inconsultation with the LDCs. We will sponsorprivate sector partnerships between Turkey and the LDCs. Our private companies have

expressed an interest in LDCs and are very activein most African countries. It is also important tonote that in Istanbul, very useful meetings tookplace between the Turkish private sector and theprivate sectors of the LDCs. They know eachother better. Tourism has been one of the newareas of focus.

Talking of new areas, what role is Turkeyplaying in assisting LDCs with climate changemitigation? We are also going to increase our investments in LDCs, and at the same time every year,beginning in 2012, we will be able to extend$200 million dollars to LDCs, without any pre-condition for projects and programs.

Would LDCs be able to use these funds forclimate change mitigation?We will discuss all of these things

Are you joining hands with any other countriestowards monitoring the implementation of theIPOA?We also extended as an initial statement of $5million dollars for monitoring and I know thatIndia did the same. Countries are thinking aboutan effective implementation mechanism for theIstanbul Programme of action.

Implementation and delivery?Yes, delivery. We are working on a roadmap withthe LDCs. n

Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, PermanentRepresentative of Turkey to the United Nations inconversation with MediaGlobal’s Nosh NalavalaPhotograph and Transcription by Pamela Thomas

6 THE COMMITMENT Summer 2011

Reasserting the Role of Parliaments in the New Programme of Action

Anders Johnsson, Secretary General of the IPU speaks at the Parliamentary Forum on the occasion of the FourthUnited Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries.

The May 8 Parliamentary Forum in Istanbulrepresented the culmination of UN LDC

IV’s parliamentary track, which brought togethersome 160 parliamentarians from 55 countries,including 10 Speakers of Parliament.

The Forum keynote Speakers were Hon.Mehmet Ali Sahin of the Turkish GrandNational Assembly and Anders Johnsson, IPUSecretary-General, who welcomed participantsalong with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonand Nepalese Prime Minister Jhal Nath Khanal,Chair of the LDC Group. Their introductoryremarks underscored the importance ofinvolving parliaments in implementing thenascent Istanbul Programme of Action. They alsoacknowledged progress made in the negotiationof the conference outcome document whichincludes an agreement on the role of parliaments.

The Forum was convened by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Grand NationalAssembly of Turkey under the aegis of the UNOffice of the High Representative for the LeastDeveloped Countries, Landlocked DevelopingCountries and the Small Island DevelopingStates (UN-OHRLLS).

The first working group session was devoted

to addressing the shift from commitment toaction and mobilizing parliamentary support forthe IPOA. The session concluded with eachgroup presenting the most useful pieces ofadvice, identified during their discussion relatedto improving the capacities most urgent to helpparliaments oversee the IPOA.

Feedback received from the groups includedstrengthening the research, monitoring andreporting capacities of parliament on the IPOA;ensuring greater access of parliaments to relevantinformation and documents concerning theIPOA; improving mechanisms for sharing ofinformation and coordination between thespecialised parliamentary committees concernedwith different aspects of the IPOA; strengthenedrelations with the executive and to ensurecomplementarity of each other’s work in theimplementation of the IPOA; increasingawareness by parliamentarians of the IPOA andtheir own national development problems.

Further general comments received from theworking groups referred to the importance ofparliaments, with their budgetary, legislative,representative and oversight function, as fully-fledged partners at the national and global level

in the implementation of the IPOA. Participantsalso see a need to create mechanisms withinparliaments to oversee and monitorimplementation of the IPOA.

Alessandro Motter, IPU Senior Advisor forEconomic and Social Affairs and SandagdorjErdenebileg, Acting Director (OHRLLS) andExecutive Secretary of UNLDC IV, elaboratedon a joint IPU-OHRLLS project proposal andthe accompanying parliamentary action plan toget parliaments actively involved in the futureimplementation of the IPOA. Saber Chowdhury,Member of Parliament (Bangladesh) providedviews from the national focal point perspective.

The IPU-OHRLLS project is aimed atstrengthening parliaments' role in theimplementation, follow-up, monitoring andreview of the IPoA and its activities are outlinedfor the initial period of five years, from 2011-2015. At the country level, the project revolvesaround the creation of focal points in both LDCand non-LDC parliaments to help review theparliament’s working methods and structures(committees etc.), liaise with UN andgovernment focal points on the ground, andgenerally assist with the mainstreaming of theIPOA through the entire policy spectrum. At theregional and global level, the project seeks toplug MPs into future reviews of the IPOA, fostercooperation and technical assistance betweenparliaments, stimulate the sharing of bestpractices and policy advice between parliaments,and enhance UN cooperation with the LDCsparliaments. n

Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya, Permanent Representativeof Nepal to the United Nations and Mr. Jhala NathKhanal, Prime Minister of Nepal, Chair of the LDCGroup and Mr. Anders Johnsson, Secretary General ofthe IPU and Mr. Mehmet Ali Sahin, Speaker of theGrand National Assembly Of Turkey at theParliamentary Forum on the occasion of the Fourth UNConference on the Least Developed Countries.

7Summer 2011 THE COMMITMENT

Elevating the Role of the PrivateSector in LDC Development

Mehmet Zafer Caglayan, Turkish Foreign Trade Minister at the Trade Fair Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

To explore the potential for private sectorinvestment in LDCs, the Private Sector

Track (PST) of the UN LDC IV Conferenceconvened more than 500 chief executives andsenior business representatives and leaders fromgovernment, civil society and the UnitedNations.

The PST marked an important milestone forthe UN: it was the first time that the privatesector was fully integrated into the programmeof a major UN Conference, allowing for directdeliberations between the public and privatesectors. The events provided an importantopportunity to identify concrete, action-orientedproposals to address LDC-specific challengesthrough sustainable private sector solutions.

Key challenges explored include goodgovernance, peace and stability, productivecapacity and entrepreneurship, access to financeand markets, climate change and infrastructure.Many of the PST events also examinedsustainable development through the prism ofkey economic sectors, such as agriculture,tourism, telecommunications, energy services,water and extractives. Business and investmentopportunities were identified for bothmultinational enterprises (MNEs) looking tosupport LDC development and for domesticLDC businesses seeking growth anddevelopment.

The PST mobilized engagement betweenLDC private and public sectors with their non-LDC counterparts, built around threeinterlocking components: 1. GLOBAL BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP FORUM

(MAY 9-12): A four-day multi-stakeholder,working-level platform for dialogue amongbusiness, investors, government officials andother stakeholders. During more than 35

workshops and plenary sessions, participantsidentified various solutions for scaling upprivate sector investment and creatingconditions for domestic LDC businesses todevelop in a sustainable manner. Newcommitments that emerged from the Forumalso addressed broadband and digitaldevelopment, support for LDC stockexchanges, sustainable tourism and theprovision of LDC investment guidance.

Led by the UN Global Compact andInternational Chamber of Commerce, theForum produced a Private Sector Statement,offering recommendations to governments forpromoting opportunity, growth anddevelopment in the LDCs. According to theStatement, the private sector is poised to buildon the strong economic growth in many LDCsover the last few years and is convinced thatsubstantial private investment will flow to thecountries that establish conducive businessenvironments and a level playing field.

A substantial number of actions and newinitiatives were also announced during theforum, including support for stock exchangesand business organisations in LDCs as well asinitiatives to enhance agricultural productivity,rural electrification, inclusive tourism, gendersensitive social protection floors, broadband anddigital development. The initiatives involveprivate sector organisations, South-Southcooperation and various UN agencies and alsopublic-private collaboration. 2. HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ON INVESTMENT AND

PARTNERSHIPS (MAY 9): A high-levelluncheon hosted by the Prime Minister ofTurkey that convened Heads of State andGovernment, chief executives and other topleaders. The event enabled the private sector to

An Event From Private Sector Track Forum at the FourthUnited Nations Conference on the Least DevelopedCountries.

engage with high-level government officialsfrom around the world. The Prime Ministerannounced a comprehensive package foreconomic and technical cooperation with theLDCs over the next decade, includingincreased investments, technology transferprogrammes (including the establishment ofan International Science, Technology andInnovation Center and InternationalAgricultural Center), scholarships, trainingactivities, and an exchange of best practices invarious areas.

At the meeting, the Chairman and ChiefExecutive Officer of the Coca-Cola Companyannounced a US $2 billion investment in theworld’s poorest nations over the next 10 years. Inaddition, the company aimed to empower morethan 5 million women entrepreneurs across thevalue chain through training, mentoring andother programmes.3. TRADE FAIR (MAY 9-13): A unique event for

business-to-business transactions anddialogue, showcasing export and othercommercial opportunities available in theLDCs. Organized by Tuskon in collaborationwith the UN Global Compact Office, theTrade Fair featured more than 160 privatesector exhibitors, including 23 from LDCs.LDC representatives showcased locallyproduced goods and services and participatedin matchmaking exercises with non-LDCprivate sector participants to establishinvestment and collaborative opportunities.

Observations and informal reports madeduring the course of the trade fair indicate that anumber of transactions and collaborations are inprogress, including import and exportopportunities for some LDC products.Companies from non-LDC countries alsoexpressed interest in entering markets in someLDCs (e.g., machinery, materials, construction,and tourism). n

8 THE COMMITMENT Summer 2011

Developed Countries Should Help the LeastDeveloped Countries: INDIAN AMBASSADOR PURI

Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, PermanentRepresentative of India to the United Nations.

NOSH NALAVALA: Ambassador Puri, are youpleased with the outcome of the IstanbulConference?AMBASSADOR PURI: The issue is not whether I’mpleased, the issue is whether the conferenceproduced an outcome that will serve thedevelopment interests of the least developedcountries. I must say that that the least developedcountries are putting up a brave front; they havenot been critical of the outcome, but civil societyhas been more critical, and rightly so.

In what way are they critical?There are two issues involved here: One is thelow level of attendance by heads of state,government, or senior ministers from thedeveloped and industrialized countries at theconference, and the second issue is the lack ofnew ODA commitments. If you look at whatexactly happened in Istanbul, you will find thatcountries from the South are the ones whichhave stepped up with assistance.

Are you referring to financial assistance?Turkey announced $200 million annually. Indiahad announced a $500 million dollars line ofcredit in New Delhi in February this year. ThePrime Minister of India during his recent visit toAfrica for the second India-Africa Summit puton the table $500 million dollars in lines ofcredit. India has also made substantial bilateralcommitments with neighboring LDCs —Bangladesh for instance.

Is Bangladesh trying to graduate out of theLDCs Group.I am sure it wants to, but it’s still an LDC. In thelast 10 years only 3 countries have graduated. Inthe next 10 years will 24 countries graduate? Itseems a tall order. I would say that the importantthing is to step on the gas between now and thenext 5 years and see what best the internationalcommunity can do in the overall interest of theleast developed countries. Which meansimplementing measures which will help in

increasing their productive capacity, makingthem more competitive. Countries like India aredoing that. We are providing lines of credit,conducting trade with the least developedcountries and showing impressive improvement.In 2008-9, aid went up from $16.7 billiondollars to $20.5 billion dollars, but privateIndian investment has gone up to $35 billiondollars.

With the LDCs?Yes, with the LDCs. You have a situation wherethe foreign direct investment is increasing, butODA is not. The overall message that comesthrough from Istanbul is that we got a goodoutcome, but it shows that the level ofcommitment from the industrialized, traditionaltrading partners and development partners, needto be more.

I was amused with Minister Krishnamentioning support to the LDCs “a moralargument”. Developed countries failed tohonor their commitment after the BrusselsProgram of Action. Do you see the BPoA as afailure, as a moral failure?I believe that the message in Minister Krishna’sstatement is that this is a moral imperative. Ithink what needs to be pointed out is thatdeveloped countries should help the LDCs notbecause its something that should be done, butbecause it’s in their own interest. There is a totalof 192 countries in the world with South Sudanjoining the international community in the UNto become the 193rd member. If you look at theoverall sectoral profile 48 of them are leastdeveloped countries, then if you add thelandlocked, small island developing states, andyou remove the overlapping, that makes it about90 plus countries. You have all these countriesstruggling with their development. The futurefor the remaining 100 can’t be that bright,because after all, this is an interdependent,interconnected community of nations. There isan old saying, “poverty anywhere, is a threat to

prosperity everywhere.” Its not just a moralimperative, it’s an economic imperative. Unlesswe get these countries back on track, unless theybecome major producers, exporters andconsumers, where will the products of theexporting world go to?

What is India bringing to the table for LDCsbesides what has been given in the past?India was one of the major players in terms ofputting something on the table. Let me recall foryou when this whole LDC IV processcommenced, we offered $250,000 to enableLDC delegations to participate in theConference. Then in Delhi we offered $500million dollars in lines of credit for the leastdeveloped countries. Then we also provided1240 additional fellowships under the ITECHprogram. And another $5 million for post-conference follow up activities. Then in Istanbul, we said that as soon as this $500million dollars is over, we will give another $500 million dollars. n

MediaGlobal’s Nosh Nalavala interviewsAmbassador Hardeep Singh Puri, PermanentRepresentative of India to the United NationsPhotograph and Transcription by Pamela Thomas

9Summer 2011 THE COMMITMENT

Switzerland Focuses on“Developing Partnerships” withthe Least Developed Countries

Swiss Ambassador Paul Seger.

NOSH NALAVALA: The Swiss delegation at theLDC-IV Conference emphasized theimportance of encouraging greater privatesector involvement in developmentcooperation. Were you looking towards publicprivate partnership in reference to workingwith the LDCs? AMBASSADOR PAUL SEGER: The private sector isvery important in three areas: First, it makesinvestments and makes new jobs that are reallycrucial for development. Secondly, it developsand applies new technologies. And third, theprivate sector is the source of growth —sustainable and inclusive growth. LDCs arestrongly dependent on public aid, or publicsupport, and this is of course necessary andabsolutely crucial, but to have growth in asustainable way, at one point the goal of theLDCs should be to graduate from their currentstatus . . .

Only 3 LDCs have graduated so far.Yes, but the goal is to keep them out of povertyand not as an LDC, but to lift them out of theirsituation.

And how does Switzerland assist in thatregard?We, in Switzerland believe that whiledevelopment aid is important, we should alsolook at the private sector. What we need to do isengage in a dialogue with LDCs and raiseawareness for the private sector, to raiseawareness to create the necessary framework, tocreate investments, investments not only atnational levels, but on international levels as well.But it’s not a one way street, it’s really aninteraction between all sides.

The Economic Cooperation and DevelopmentDivision at the State Secretariat for EconomicAffairs (SECO) is responsible for the planningand implementation of economic and trade

policy measures with developing countries.SECO organised an event devoted to the topicof trade and local production capacities. WasSwitzerland happy with the outcome asreflected in the Declaration?It was not a Swiss showcase event. We were notpromoting Swiss products. The idea was to seethat the private production capacities of LDCcountries are being improved. One can onlygrow when a country has some kind ofproduction, be it industrial, or agricultural, orwhatever, production is central for growth. Inaddition, experience shows that productioncapacities in LDC countries are quite oftenlacking. It’s a question of capacity, of knowledge,of education. So our goal is to assist thesecountries in improving these capacities that thencan lead to more commerce and more trade.These countries can start to export more,generates income, generate resources, and alsogenerate international currency. So the idea wasto see how we could assist those countries inpromoting their national products.

The Swiss representative at the Conference,Martin Dahinden said that in order to havemore LDCs graduate from the LDC status, weneed to improve the resilience of LDCs againstmultiple crises and to develop and strengthenLDCs’ trade and productive capacities forinclusive growth. What is Switzerland’scontribution to strengthening trade capacity inLDCs over the years.To benefit from trade, developing countries mustimprove their competitiveness and meet thecriteria required by international markets. Theaid-for-trade initiative aims to supportdeveloping countries' efforts to develop tradecapacities. SECO has progressively increased itstrade-related cooperation since the beginning ofthe Doha Round in 2001 and today invests$120 million on trade issues relevant to

developing countries. Switzerland grantsdeveloping countries significant reductions incustoms duties on goods in the agricultural andtextile sectors and even a zero duty on all otherindustrial goods. LDCs also benefit from duty-and quota-free access to the Swiss market.

The United Nations has made climate changeits priority. The small island developing states,who don’t have a category at the UnitedNations, are being left out — they don’t seem toget a platform at any of these climate changeconferences. Two part question: is Switzerlandfacing climate change issues, and to whatextent? And, is Switzerland making anytangible contribution in terms of fundingtowards adaptation, especially towards thesmall island developing states?Yes, we too face climate change effects. Theglaciers in the Alps are receding, forests aregetting drier, water is getting scarce, the summersare becoming harsher. Climate change issue isaffecting Switzerland as well. Maybe not as muchas the small island developing states. We are notthreatened by the rise in sea level as some of theislands.

What will help not only small islanddeveloping states, but everyone, is a clear andbinding agreement on emissions and reductionof CO2 and that’s something absolutelycrucial.Regarding funding towards adaptation measures,Switzerland has proposed a global CO2 taxationand redistribution mechanism which to date hasnot been taken up in negotiations. n

Ambassador Paul Seger in conversation withMediaGlobal’s Nosh Nalavala on Switzerland’s rolewith LDCsPhotograph and Transcription by Pamela Thomas

10 THE COMMITMENT Summer 2011

Civil Society: Changing the Paradigm of Development

Mr. Joseph Deiss, President of the United Nations General Assembly and Mr. Dr. Arjun Karki, Chairman of the CSO and Mr. Ahmet Davutoglu, Foreign Minister of Turkey and Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the UnitedNations and Mr. Jhala Nath Khana, Prime Minister of Nepal at Civil Society Forum on the Occasion of the FourthUnited Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries.

The development paradigm must be changed,according to civil society leaders who

participated in the Civil Society Forum at UNLDC IV in Istanbul. LDCs should move awayfrom market-driven policies and implementpeople-centered development policies thatrequire governments to ensure sustainablelivelihoods and uphold human rights and genderequality, the leaders said.

The leaders spoke over six days of meetings(May 7-13) as part of the Civil Society Forum,which was officially launched May 8 in theIstanbul Congress Centre. The meetingspresented an opportunity for dialogue betweenMember State negotiators and the civil societyparticipants. Among the speakers were UNSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon, TurkishForeign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, NepalesePrime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, Former

Foreign Minister of Guinea-Bissau, AntoniettaRosa Gomes, Dr. Arjun Karki of LDC Watch,and Dr. Ihsan Karaman of Doctors' Worldwide.

Civil society demanded preferentialtreatment for LDCs to ensure fair trade and debtcancellation and real and substantive increases inofficial development assistance guaranteeingeffective and sustainable development in LDCs.

The Civil Society Forum attracted 1,500participants from 270 organizations representing

women’s movements, youth movements, tradeunions, peasant federations, media and humanrights defenders. The Civil Society Global Reportwas also launched during this Forum.

At the conclusion of the Forum, LDC IVSecretary-General Cheick Sidi Diarra, AhmetDavutoglu, Nepalese Deputy Prime MinisterUpendra Yadav, Dr. Arjun Karki, and Dr. IhsanKaraman made concluding remarks. n

The Civil Society Forum attracted 1,500 participants from 270 organizations representing women’s movements, youthmovements, trade unions, peasant federations, media andhuman rights defenders. “

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11Summer 2011 THE COMMITMENT

Barry Coates, Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand.YIYING (ELLE) WANG: As a member of the civilsociety steering committee, what is your overallassessment of the IPoA? More specifically, howwould you evaluate the participation andoutput from the civil society forum?BARRY COATES: While the overall outcome of theFourth Conference on the LDCs wasdisappointing, there was strong engagement bycivil society, with good quality of discussions andgood attendance from across the LDCs. TheCivil Society Declaration was strong and therewas feedback from many LDC delegations thatthey agreed with the spirit of the declarationeven if they were unable to express these views inthe context of the negotiations. The declarationwas sharply critical of the outcomes of theconference and in particular the unwillingness ofthe traditional donor governments to live up tothe UN mandate for the conference in increasinginternational support for LDC development.However, the Civil Society Declaration wentbeyond the call for more funds to call for a morefundamental transformation to end the injusticethat results in the citizens of LDCs sufferingfrom poverty and external shocks.

From the civil society perspective, what are themain priority issues that should be mostunderscored in LDCs’ development policies atcountry-, regional-, and global level?It is important to continue to engage civil societyin the follow up actions. The momentum gainedfrom learning, engagement and commitment ofcivil society from around the world during the4th LDC Conference should be a building blockfor the future. As a priority, civil society needs tobe supported in building capacity at the nationallevel in LDCs. Few parliamentarians, media oractive citizens are aware of the commitmentsundertaken under the Istanbul Programme ofAction and the call for fundamental reformembodied in the Civil Society Declaration. Thisawareness raising needs to be the key building

block for follow-up, not only in LDCs but alsoamongst the traditional aid donors and otherdevelopment partners. This is a major challenge.Donors need to be engaged, not only in thedelivery of the IPoA commitments, but also inthe delivery of assistance to enable continuedsupport for the LDC agenda at the national andinternational levels.

Looking forward, what is your vision in thefollow-up mechanism of LDC IV? Anystrategies that you would like to elaborate? It will be crucial to identify and prepare for a fewkey events that will allow civil society to mobiliseand hold governments accountable. We needopportunities to raise the political level andimportance of LDC development, the IstanbulProgramme of Action and the Civil SocietyDeclaration. The focus provided by a few majorevents is necessary to lift the issues affectingLDCs from “business as usual” to a matter ofinternational urgency. This could be supportedby the preparation of a number of key messagesfrom the Istanbul Programme of Action,highlighting some of the significantcommitments made at the conference and a clearset of measures that can form the basis formonitoring and mobilisation.

In which way could civil society organizationsbest collaborate with internationalorganizations like the UN system, BrettonWoods Institute? What lessons can we learnfrom the previous experiences? Any newinitiatives?There are a number of measures at a nationallevel to engage with civil society and otherstakeholders and mechanisms like follow up tothe MDGs, climate change dialogues, tradeforums and other international processes thatcould be used for follow up. It would be helpfulif the greater partnership between the UN andcivil society, evident in the LDC conference,

could be incorporated into other engagementswith UN processes. If civil society is to be fullyinvolved, it is crucial that they are engaged ascentral actors, not just as marginal participants.A lesson learned from implementation of theBrussels Programme of Action is that a specifichigh-level process is needed to avoid the neglectof LDC issues. Specific, high level monitoring isneeded with the involvement of a broadconstituency in order to generate momentum forpolitical action throughout the next decade. Thisis likely to need new initiatives focused moreclosely on the concerns of LDCs, where thedevelopment of LDCs is the major focus, not asecondary issue.

Oxfam is one of the leading civil societyorganizations in the world. Could you helpintroduce some of the work Oxfam does onLDC issues as an example?Oxfam works in 36 of the 48 LDCs, and isactive on the key advocacy issues affecting LDCs.We are proud to partner with many of the civilsociety organisations in LDCs and thoseoperating at the regional and global levels thatare committed to ending poverty and injustice.Oxfam’s agenda aligns closely with many of thepriorities identified by civil society andgovernments, including a focus on food justice(particularly through the newly launched‘GROW’ campaign), trade justice, climatechange, building resilience and responding todisasters, gender justice and supporting citizenmovements to hold governments andcorporations to account. This process of the 4thConference on LDCs has enabled us to focusmore as an NGO on LDC issues and we lookforward to further strengthening ourcontribution in the future. n

Yiying (Elle) Wang of UN-OHRLLS interviews BarryCoates, Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand onthe civil society perspective in relation to LDCs

Oxfam Calls for Transformationto End Injustice that Results inLDCs Suffering from Poverty

12 THE COMMITMENT Summer 2011

Promising Deliverables at Istanbul ConferenceSpecial Events

An Event at World Export Development Forum at the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least DevelopedCountries in Istanbul.

T he f orty-five Special Events that took place atUN LDC IV in May served not only as

discussion forums, but also as critical venues forannouncing concrete deliverables supportingLDC development goals, including thoseidentified in the newly adopted IstanbulProgramme of Action (IPoA).

The deliverables range from targetedfinancial pledges and measures to investmentpromotion to concrete technical cooperation andcapacity-building proposals in the area ofeducation and training and skills development.

Organized by Member States, UN agenciesand other related organizations, the SpecialEvents covered a wide range of subjects ofinterest to LDCs. The events were attended byhigh-level officials including Heads of States andgovernments, Heads of agencies, Ministers,Ambassadors, other senior government officials,renowned experts, CEOs and civil societyrepresentatives.

The largest number of concrete deliverableswas announced in the area of technicalcooperation and capacity building, including thecreation of numerous student scholarships andfellowships for researchers from the LDCs.Technical training will also be provided for civilservants and negotiators, including womenleaders and government officials.

On the institutional level, capacity-buildingprogrammes will be initiated to improve publicadministration, governance and transparency.More specifically, programmes and projects wereannounced in investment promotion, taxcollection and capital market regulation, socialprotection, climate change adaptation andmitigation, and strengthening of MSMEs andthe private sector, among others.

Financial pledges were also made to supportthe IPoA implementation and ensure effectivefollow-up. Development partners and UNagencies likewise announced new funds andcontinued support for existing LDC TrustFunds, including for sustainable tourism,reforestation and climate change adaptationprogrammes, and ICT development in LDCs.

To promote investments in LDCs,development partners promised to encourage theprivate sector to increase foreign directinvestment in LDC economies. To this end, an“Aid for Investment” Initiative and newfinancing instruments were proposed, targetingpublic-private partnerships for infrastructureinvestment, in particular.

A large number of initiatives will alsosupport the agricultural sector and increase

nutrition and food security. Commitments weremade to strengthen LDCs’ emergency foodreserve systems and to increase the productivityof farmers in LDCs by providing capacity-building and technical assistance on agriculturalproduction, mechanization, aquaculture foodprocessing, mechanization and standardization.

Technical assistance and capacity-buildingmeasures will target improved trade policies andexport capacities, complemented by a renewedcommitment to improved market access forLDC products. New initiatives will also enhancehuman and social development and supportmitigation and adaptation efforts of LDCs withregard to climate change, by transitioning to alow-carbon growth path through investments inclean technologies.

To monitor the progress of IPoAimplementation, follow-up and review,delegations announced a visualization tool calledthe LDC Mapper and a project to more activelyengage parliamentarians. To strengtheninformation collection and statistical tools,LDCs will have access to an online InformationPortal, to access information on existing LDC-specific international support measures. Inaddition, national databases on various subjectswill be launched, including traditionalknowledge, genetic resources and folklore, andclimate change and adaptation activities. n

The largest number of concrete deliverables was announced in the area of technical cooperation and capacity building,including the creation of numerous student scholarships andfellowships for researchers from the LDCs. “

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13Summer 2011 THE COMMITMENT

Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, United Nations Development Program Practice Director, Democratic Governance Group(right) in conversation with MediaGlobal's Nosh Nalavala

NOSH NALAVALA: UNDP played a major rolein working with the UN during thepreparatory process and later in Istanbul.Could you parse the before and after of theConference and underscore the outcome of theprep meetings and then the outcome itself? GERALDINE FRASER-MOLEKETI: Yes, indeed,UNDP did play a role in the pre-conferencepreparations but we should see it in the contextof the universal presence of UNDP. I wouldargue, especially across LDCs, that we veryclearly identified our work in LDCs amidstcountry typologies that we should be working in.That’s first and foremost. But secondly andspecifically, in the area of governance itself welooked at the Brussels Programme of Action, andwe did an assessment and came out with a paperthat was actually circulated at the conference. Wedid an analysis of achievements by the LDCs,insofar as it related to democratic governance. It’scalled the good governance component.

And did you find it wanting?We did. We found it wanting from theperspective of attainment of the clear goals thatwere identified in the programme of action. Wealso looked at it from the perspective of whatshould then be done for the Istanbul Programmeof Action because this is what we thought wasquite important in support of LDCs. A meetingtook place in Geneva at the end of last year. Andat this meeting we had the permanentrepresentatives and representatives from ourcountry offices . . .

. . . best practices of these countries?Yes, we looked at best practices in countries andwe looked at what could be shared across, and itwas a fascinating discussion. We looked atcountries like Butan, Nepal, and we coveredAfrica and Asia. We had input on Haiti, and wealso had members from the steering committeefor the Istanbul conference . . .

The steering committee, the UN Ambassador ofTurkey . . .. . . Yes, the UN Ambassador of Turkey was

present in our meeting. We also had theambassadors from Nepal and Bangladesh, and soon. In the substantive debates they all said thatthe one topic that they thought was lacking,amongst others, was the question of globalgovernance, which brings into play the questionof mutual accountability. Because it is one thingbeating up LDCs and saying you didn’t meet theprogramme of action, it is another thing lookingat everyone and saying to the partners, ‘whathave you done?’ They identified areas like anti-corruption and so on.

Were you only limited to the LDCs or did you also touch upon small island developing states?We covered LDCs and the small islanddeveloping states.

Are you pleased with the outcome of thoseissues that you had worked towards in thepreparatory sessions? To a large degree as UNDP our role is not to saythis is what we want and this is a blueprint. Wesupport countries and we support the LDCs. Iam pleased that Istanbul had an outcome. That’swhat I’m pleased about.

So now the question is: are the LDCs lookingfor either the same official developmentassistance, or perhaps an increase in officialdevelopment assistance, or a renewedcommitment of what was promised at theBrussels Programme of Action and if the

developed countries were not activeparticipants in the final outcome at thedeclaration of the Istanbul conference, wouldthis still fall into the same trap as the BPOA?The fact that we didn’t have the kind ofparticipation from developed countries asexpected doesn’t mean that there should be anylowering of expectations on what theircontribution should be. Istanbul must be seen inconjunction with the Brussels Programme ofAction.

Somehow the perception is that BPOA wasconsidered a failure. And that the Istanbulconference ten years later was meant to putnew vigour and life into it. I think it did put new vigour into it in the sensethat you saw commitment from India andTurkey in a way that was never there before.

Referring to these two countries, do the LDCsneed monitoring at this point in time forTurkey and India to have committed fivemillion dollars towards monitoring?There was one issue which came up consistentlyfrom the LDCs themselves. And they identifiedthe need for a monitoring mechanism. So thefact that it came from them means that clearlythey see that as a necessity. And monitoring isnot just monitoring of LDCs, and it’s importantto monitor because you want to monitor impact,you want to be sure that there’s accountability forthe resources, for commitments. n

Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, United Nations Development Program Practice Director,Democratic Governance Group, in conversation with MediaGlobal’s Nosh NalavalaPhotograph and Transcription by Courtney Brooks

UNDP Emphasizes Good Governance as a KeyFactor for Success of LDCs

14 THE COMMITMENT Summer 2011

Solomon Islands Increasingly Face the Impact of Climate Change

Solomon Islands Ambassador to the United Nations,Colin D. Beck.

NOSH NALAVALA: Your government hasindicated that the human institutional,technological and systemic capacity forsustainable land management (SLM) inSolomon Islands, is very low. This pretty muchis the whole range of basic infrastructure inSolomon Islands. It also includes aspects of theMDGs. Do you have a national plan of actionand how is the Solomon Islands dealing withthese capacity issues?AMBASSADOR COLIN BECK: We are dealing withthese issues from a national perspective. We havea ministry dedicated to looking at the issue ofcapacity, trying to meet our development needs.And the state institutions actually need to keepup with these development challenges; otherwisethey could come to a stage when we cannotmanage them.

What would happen if these challenges werenot met?Then certainly we would slide back into a conflictsituation.

Can you zero in on a development challengethat you feel is growing?At the moment our country is actuallyprogressing — it is progressing on all fronts. Butwe’re doing it basically with the help not only ofthe international community, but we rely a lot onboth multi-lateral institutions and oninternational frameworks. And this is where theIstanbul Programme of Action and otherdevelopment strategies will come into play.

Will you fulfill your MDGs by 2015?At the moment our goal is to try to graduate, andwe speak of graduating because for us a vehicle ofachieving the MDGs is actually through theIstanbul Programme of Action. One of theaspects of the MDGs is that these are social goals.It does not look at the sustainability of how toachieve them. And this is where the IstanbulProgramme of Action, will prioritize structural

transformation, and ensure that these goals willbe met.

The least developed countries and small islanddeveloping states are most vulnerable to theimpact of climate change. Would you say thatSolomon Islands would be impacted by risingsea levels to a point where the country mightface extinction? Do you feel that the SolomonIslands are in bad shape when it comes toclimate change?This is one of the reasons why we have thischapter on sustainable development and dealingwith crises, and one of the crises besides theeconomy is climate change. Climate change for usis yesterday’s issue that we’re dealing with today.

Why would it be yesterday’s issue?Everybody knows about it. It’s yesterday’s issuebasically because we have raised this issue 20 yearsago. And today we’re still talking about it asthough we do not know what to do. I think thateverybody needs a political will to do something.The science says everything. In terms of whenyou speak of Solomon Islands, we are alreadyrelocating populations from our low-lying areas...

. . . where are you relocating them?We are relocating from some of the low-lying areasright to the mainland, internally. But we’re dealingwith it internally. Now you must look at it in aframework in which we are doing what we canwithin our capacity. But over time the land thathas been given becomes infertile. Once it becomesinfertile where people have relocated, they willhave to move into the land of the surroundingpopulations, and these are triggers of conflict. Atthe moment we are not talking just sea level rise –we’re talking water, food security, biodiversity. Wehave lost fishing grounds; the problem just grows.The issue for us now is adaptation, which is atemporary solution. It’s something that we need toadapt to immediately but we need a long-termsolution – we need hope.

Are you looking at any other countries wherethe people of Solomon Islands would end up as“environmental refugees”? For us it’s unthinkable – if we now do away withmultilateralism, then I think that will be anoption. For us, we are just on the frontline. Weshould not start to think who should leave andwho should survive. Otherwise, we are reallyquestioning humanity, and this is why I amsaying, let us not look at a Plan B.

But is there a contingency plan?At the moment we are trying – we have pinnedall our hopes, all our diplomatic capital, all thelittle investment we have, in having anagreement, a second commitment in Durban.

I presume you are spending a lot of fundstoward mitigation?More on adaptation.

How aggressive are your adaptation measures?The fact that we are relocating population, meansthat we have not been able to cope with thechallenges of climate change. On some of theislands they have relocated people from thesettlements to where they grow food, which isgoing to impact the food industry because they’retaking the land used to grow food to now settlethem.

Is there a climate change fund – there is a big$100 billion climate change fund – but arethere any monies coming to you for adaptationneeds from the international community?Since Copenhagen commitment was made butnever delivered. We don’t see where the money is,and this is the question. That’s why it is an agendaitem now, and everybody’s asking, we need clarity,where is the money. Show us the money. n

In an interview with MediaGlobal’s Nosh Nalavala,Ambassador to the Solomon Islands Ambassador to theUnited Nations, Colin D. Beck shares his concerns onthe issue of climate changePhotograph and Transcription by Courtney Brooks

15Summer 2011 THE COMMITMENT

Istanbul Declaration

A view of the plenary session inside the Lufti KirdarConvention Centre at the Fourth UN Conference onLeast Developed Countries held in Turkey in May.

We, the Heads of State and Government andRepresentatives of the States participating in the FourthUnited Nations Conference on the Least DevelopedCountries,

Gathered here in Istanbul from 9 to 13 May 2011 toreiterate our commitment to the collective and sharedresponsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity,equality and equity at all levels,

Stressing that the least developed countries continueto confront high levels of poverty and hunger, andreaffirming that solidarity and partnership with thepoorest, weakest and most vulnerable countries and theirpeople are not only moral and ethical imperatives, butalso economic and political ones, which correspond tolong-term interests of the international community andserve the cause of peace, security and prosperity for all,

Emphasizing that enhancing good governance at alllevels, the rule of law, respect for all human rights,including the right to development, gender equality,justice for all, democracy and peace and security areessential for sustainable development,

Underscoring the fact that while each faces specificchallenges, all least developed countries share much incommon,

Recognizing the progress made by least developedcountries since the Third United Nations Conference onthe Least Developed Countries held in Brussels in 2001,

Recognizing that not all the objectives and goals set inthe Brussels Programme of Action have been fullyachieved and that least developed countries remainmarginalized in the world economy and continue tosuffer from extreme poverty, inequality and structuralweaknesses,

Expressing deep concern that many least developedcountries, particularly those that are affected by conflictand criminal activities and transnational organized crime,including piracy, which, among other things, canthreaten trade routes, and smuggling of and trafficking inhuman beings, narcotic drugs and small arms and lightweapons, are lagging behind in the achievement of theinternationally agreed development goals, including theMillennium Development Goals, and recognizing thatthese challenges require concerted efforts to addressthem,

Underlining that limited productive capacity andfinancial resources, and weak and poor infrastructure,continue to pose serious obstacles to the developmentefforts of the least developed countries,

Reiterating our deep concern that the ongoing impactsof economic and financial crisis, combined with volatileenergy and food prices, problems of food security, risingunemployment and increasing challenges posed byclimate change, natural disasters and the loss ofbiodiversity, are threatening the development gains thatleast developed countries made arduously over the years,

Recognizing that least developed countries deserveparticular attention and special and well-targeted supportin line with their development strategies to address theirdevelopment needs and specific challenges in a coherent

manner in trade, investment, finance, including officialdevelopment assistance (ODA), technology and capacity-building,

Expressing our full support for least developedcountries’ development efforts to achieve people-centredsustainable development,

Underscoring that least developed countries representan enormous untapped human and natural resourcepotential, in particular their young populations, tocontribute to national development, poverty eradication,and job creation, as well as global economic growth andwelfare,

Recognizing the need for enhancing the voice andparticipation of least developed countries in relevantmultilateral institutions and international forums,

Emphasizing the importance of the outcomes of allmajor United Nations conferences and summits in theeconomic, social and related fields, including theMillennium Declaration, the Monterrey Consensus ofthe International Conference on Financing forDevelopment, the Plan of Implementation of the WorldSummit on Sustainable Development (“JohannesburgPlan of Implementation”), the Doha Declaration onFinancing for Development and the outcome documentof the High-Level Plenary Meeting on the MillenniumDevelopment Goals, which play a vital role in shaping abroad development vision of the United Nations andconstitute complementary frameworks for thedevelopment activities of least developed countries,

Having adopted a Programme of Action for the LeastDeveloped Countries for the decade 2011-2020,

Declare that:1. We collectively commit to finding lasting solutionsto the complex and mutually exacerbating challenges andproblems of the least developed countries. We arecommitted to assisting the least developed countries withan overarching goal of enabling half of them to meet thecriteria for graduation through the eradication of povertyand the achievement of accelerated, sustained, inclusiveand equitable growth and sustainable development. Thus,we solemnly commit ourselves to implementing thisProgramme of Action throughout the coming decade.2. We are convinced that the Fourth United NationsConference on the Least Developed Countries and theIstanbul Programme of Action provide positivemomentum for the sustainable development of leastdeveloped countries by enhancing solidarity with thecause of least developed countries and increasingawareness of their specific conditions. Our renewed andstrengthened global partnership will make a significantcontribution to the common endeavours towards theimplementation of the Istanbul Programme of Actionand the achievement of internationally agreeddevelopment goals, including the MillenniumDevelopment Goals. 3. We stress that the goals and targets of thisProgramme of Action can be achieved with renewed andstrengthened global partnership, enhancedcommitments, increased mobilization of resources for

least developed countries’ development and greater aideffectiveness. We commit to further strengthening oursupport to least developed countries in creating afavourable environment for sustainable development,increasing productive capacities, the diversification ofeconomies and building necessary infrastructure.4. We underscore that the ownership, leadership andprimary responsibility for development in least developedcountries rests with the least developed countriesthemselves. Good governance, inclusiveness andtransparency, as well as domestic resource mobilization,are central to the development process of the leastdeveloped countries. These efforts need to be givenconcrete and substantial international support in a spiritof shared responsibility and mutual accountabilitythrough renewed and strengthened global partnership.5. We recognize least developed countries’ efforts tomake progress in human and social development,including providing access to essential services such aseducation, health, water and sanitation, and shelter, aswell as promoting participation in social, economic andpolitical life. We encourage further progress in theseareas. 6. We underline that gender equality and theempowerment of women and girls are central toachieving better development outcomes, including allinternationally agreed development goals as well as theMillennium Development Goals, and are essential tomaking progress towards social and human developmentand the eradication of poverty in least developedcountries.7. We affirm that ODA has a key role to play insupport of least developed countries’ development. In thisregard, donor countries take upon themselves to fulfil allthe ODA commitments to the least developed countries.They should review their ODA commitments in 2015and consider further enhancing the resources for the leastdeveloped countries. 8. We recognize that productive capacity-building is adevelopment multiplier and that the renewed andstrengthened partnership should give priority to this issuein the next decade in a coherent manner. In this regard:

(a) We underscore that reliable and affordableinfrastructure services such as electricity, transport,

Renewed and strengthened global partnership for thedevelopment of least developed countries

continued on page 16

information and communications technology and water,as well as institutional capacity, are critically importantfor building viable productive capacity in the leastdeveloped countries;

(b) We underline that a dynamic, well-functioningand socially responsible private sector, small andmedium-sized enterprises in particular, and anappropriate legal framework are crucial in promotingentrepreneurship, investment, competition, innovationand economic diversification as well as achieving full andproductive employment and decent work for all; arecommitted to creating conducive domestic andinternational environments in which the private sectorcan invest and contribute more to economic growth andsustainable development; and take note of thecontributions of the High-Level Meeting on Investmentand Partnerships, the Global Business Partnership Forumand the Trade Fair at the Fourth United NationsConference on the Least Developed Countries;

(c) We recognize the importance of the mobilizationof domestic and external financial resources, includingODA, foreign direct investment, concessional lendingand private flows such as remittances, as vital parts ofnational and international development efforts; andunderline the need for enhanced support for investments,including capacity-building, to improve the environmentfor investment in productive sectors and infrastructurethat would help the least developed countries indiversifying their economies;

(d) We undertake to promote access of leastdeveloped countries to knowledge, information,technology and know-how and to support the leastdeveloped countries in improving their scientific andinnovative capacity needed for their structuraltransformation; agree to undertake a joint gap andcapacity analysis with the aim of establishing aTechnology Bank and a science, technology andinnovation-supporting mechanism dedicated to the leastdeveloped countries’ building on existing internationalinitiatives; and welcome the generous offer of theGovernment of Turkey to host an International Science,Technology and Innovation Centre and encouragecommitments in this regard;

(e) We underscore that integrated and sustainableagriculture and rural development policies and practices,focusing particularly on small-scale farmers and agro-businesses, as well as increased investments in leastdeveloped countries, are essential to the eradication ofpoverty and hunger and the achievement of food andnutritional security;

(f ) We acknowledge the great potential of regionaleconomic integration and cooperation in creating newopportunities for trade, investment, production, supplychains, and markets through improved infrastructure andconnectivity; and underscore that regional integrationand cooperation efforts involving least developedcountries should be further enhanced and supported withthe contributions of relevant regional organizations andinstitutions.9. We reaffirm that international trade remains a keydriver of economic growth and sustainable developmentin least developed countries. We strongly call on allWorld Trade Organization members to intensify theirnegotiating efforts to bring the World Trade

Organization Doha Round to a successful conclusion.We commit to the realization of the timelyimplementation of duty-free and quota-free marketaccess, on a lasting basis, for all least developed countries,consistent with the Hong Kong Ministerial Declarationadopted by the World Trade Organization in 2005. Wecommit to ensuring that preferential rules of originapplicable to imports from least developed countries aresimple, transparent and predictable and contribute tofacilitating market access. We emphasize the need forimplementing effective trade-related technical assistanceand capacity-building to least developed countries on apriority basis, including by enhancing the share ofassistance to least developed countries for aid for tradeand support for the Enhanced Integrated Framework, asappropriate, to help least developed countries to buildtheir supply-side capacity, trade-related infrastructure andtrade facilitation. In this regard, we emphasize the role ofall relevant international agencies and organizations. Wealso underline that the accession of least developedcountries to the World Trade Organization should beencouraged and facilitated.10. New innovative finance mechanisms have potentialto contribute to the development of least developedcountries. Such voluntary mechanisms should be effectiveand should aim to mobilize resources that are stable andpredictable, which should supplement and not be asubstitute for traditional sources of finance and bedisbursed in accordance with the priorities of leastdeveloped countries and not unduly burden them.11. We are concerned that many least developedcountries still struggle with a high debt burden. Thissituation demands the continued implementation of boldand comprehensive measures with a view to addressingthe debt challenges of least developed countries effectivelyand equitably. Long-term sustainability of debt dependson, inter alia, responsible lending and borrowing by allcreditors and debtors, sustainable economic growth,structural transformation in least developed countries andenhanced market prospects for least developed countries.12. We emphasize the urgent need to strengthen thecapacity of least developed countries in building long-term resilience to mitigate crises and effectively respondto economic shocks. We underline the need forappropriate regional and international support to bedeployed in a timely and targeted manner tocomplement least developed countries’ efforts to this end,such as the support mechanisms designed andimplemented by international financial institutions,

including regional development banks and others. 13. We acknowledge the adverse impact of climatechange on least developed countries and share the aim tostrengthen their capacity to adapt to and mitigate climatechange, bearing in mind the provisions of the UnitedNations Framework Convention on Climate Change.The mobilization and provision of additional, adequateand predictable financial resources are necessary toaddress least developed countries’ adaptation andmitigation needs. We welcome the decision to establishthe Green Climate Fund and are looking forward to itsfull operationalization. We also acknowledge the need toreduce their vulnerability to natural disasters throughdisaster preparedness and risk reduction, as well asresilience-building. We also underscore the need foraccess of the least developed countries to appropriate,affordable and clean technologies that foster theirsustained economic growth and sustainable development.14. We recognize that the graduation process of leastdeveloped countries should be coupled with anappropriate package of incentives and support measuresso that the development process of the graduated countrywill not be jeopardized. In this context, we will work onthe development and implementation of smoothtransition strategies for graduating and graduated leastdeveloped countries. We look forward to theestablishment of an ad hoc working group to furtherstudy and strengthen the smooth transition process.15. In view of the increasingly important role of South-South cooperation in least developed countries’development, we underline the need to fully harness theopportunities offered by South-South cooperation as acomplement to, but not a substitute for, North-Southcooperation. We are convinced that least developedcountries benefit from enhanced and mainstreamedtriangular cooperation. We seek to achieve specificdevelopment results as articulated in least developedcountries’ national development plans and priorities,based on solidarity and partnership within the context ofSouth-South cooperation. 16. We acknowledge the important role of parliamentsin debating development strategies, as well as inoverseeing their implementation. The engagement ofparliaments will ensure effectiveness, transparency andaccountability in the design, the implementation and thereview of the policies and programmes in the context ofthe Istanbul Programme of Action. We take note of theParliamentary Message to the Fourth United NationsConference on the Least Developed Countries.17. We call on civil society, including non-governmentalorganizations, voluntary associations and philanthropicfoundations, the private sector, academia and otherrelevant stakeholders at all levels to enhance their roles inthe development efforts of least developed countries, asappropriate. We also take note of the Civil Society ForumDeclaration of the Fourth United Nations Conference onthe Least Developed Countries.18. We reaffirm the critical importance of effective andefficient follow-up and monitoring mechanisms at thenational, regional and global levels to assess progress inthe implementation of commitments and actionscontained in the Programme of Action, including byconducting a high-level comprehensive midterm review.We invite the Secretary-General of the United Nations toensure that the Istanbul Programme of Action is followedup in an effective, efficient and visible manner. n

ISTANBUL DECLARATIONcontinued from page 15

President of the United Nations General Assembly,Joseph Deiss addressing the Fourth UN Conference onLeast Developed Countries in Istanbul, Turkey.