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by
Rubens Ricupero
The
international community as a whole is currently preparing
for the first major conference of the new millennium, aimed
at addressing the problems of the world’s 49 least
developed countries (LDCs). The conference, the third organized
by the United Nations on this subject, will take place in
Brussels this May.
The
problems of the LDCs indeed constitute one of the main challenges
faced by the international community today.
Ethical as well as political considerations compel us to
tackle these problems with a sense of urgency. On ethical
grounds, it is inadmissible to observe the progressive degradation
of 49 countries, 34 of which are in Africa (Senegal was
the latest addition to the list), and the destitution prevailing
among their populations, without producing a forceful, joint
response commensurate with the magnitude of the problem.
On political grounds, world peace and prosperity cannot
possibly be sustained in the long run if these countries
are excluded from the benefits of globalization – and
it should be stressed that most of the countries facing
endemic civil war are LDCs. In fact, the LDCs are reaping
only the negative consequences of globalization, which are
bound to generate waves of civil strife and abrupt migratory
flows, seriously endangering international stability.
It is for all these reasons that we at UNCTAD have been
stressing that “the international community will ultimately
be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable members”.
The Credibility Gap
 This
assertion brings us to a question of concern to the entire
international community: the credibility gap created by
the failure to fully implement previous commitments made
by both the development partners of the LDCs and the LDCs
themselves. After two previous conferences, and the sad
realization that the programmes of action approved then
have been implemented only in a very limited way, the LDCs
are legitimately asking themselves why they should put their
faith in yet another conference and another programme of
action.
Many LDCs have implemented far-reaching policy reforms in
the last decade, thus creating an improved domestic context
to promote accelerated development. However, their macroeconomic
and sectoral policies will have to pay more attention to
structural and institutional bottlenecks. Incentive schemes
appropriate for well-functioning markets also need to be
developed, which requires effective management by the State;
for that to happen, strong and efficient institutional and
regulatory arrangements are essential as well.
Systemic imbalances at the international level have contributed
to restricting the growth of these countries and depressing
their standards of living. All of these issues must be addressed
at Brussels.
The response to such imbalances should necessarily be of
a concerted international nature.
Expectations for the Brussels Conference
A
bold and at the same time pragmatic vision is required if
the Brussels Conference is to live up to expectations. The
bold side of the vision should recognize that, in the new
global economy, international factors are as important as
national determinants of poverty trends; hence the need
for a genuine partnership. The pragmatic side of the vision
calls for basing that partnership on a set of concrete,
action-oriented or implementable commitments that result
in tangible benefits in each of the LDCs.
What the LDCs expect from the Brussels Conference and beyond,
and indeed are entitled to expect, can be summed up as follows:
First of all, they want to identify and adopt concrete measures
aimed at reducing their structural handicaps and to receive
adequate and firm support from the international community
for these endeavours. This implies enhancing health and
education as well as developing skilled human resources
and the physical infrastructure. Secondly, they want to
reduce their economic vulnerability and be able to seize
new economic opportunities. Existing sectors need to be
made more competitive and supply capacities enhanced and
extended to areas in which LDCs have, or can develop, competitive
advantages. Thirdly, they want to facilitate the involvement
of all relevant actors, notably government, the private
sector and civil society.
Equally important, the long-standing issues of concern to
LDCs deserve renewed attention. These relate to improved
market access, debt relief and official development assistance.
We could in particular make rapid response mechanisms available
in case of unforeseen endogenous and exogenous shocks, so
that years of painstaking progress are not lost to a single
crisis or disaster. Last but not least, in the context of
present globalization trends the promotion of investment
in LDCs has become an inescapable imperative of any programme
of action aimed at overcoming the secular weaknesses of
their economies.
The Opportunities
 The
LDCs and, I am sure, their development partners as well,
will go to Brussels with the purpose of enhancing the positive
synergies between the domains of aid, debt reduction, market
access and the promotion of capital flows. Thus far, policy
discussion in each of these domains has too often taken
place in separate forums. As a result, not only are positive
synergies missed, but in addition there is a risk that support
measures in different areas can turn out to be mutually
antagonistic. The LDC Conference will present a distinct
occasion to redress such shortcomings.
Brussels will also provide an opportunity to make progress
in the concrete implementation of decisions reached elsewhere
in favour of the LDCs. One example of this relates to international
trade, an area in which widespread agreement has developed
on the need to facilitate market access to LDCs’ exports.
Measures to this end may not necessarily have an immediate
impact on the situation of the LDCs, inasmuch as these countries
lack the supply capacity to increase their exports. Yet
such measures would encourage foreign investment in the
LDCs, which in itself would enhance the export capacity
of these countries in the medium to long term. Concrete
commitments taken in Brussels in this field could thus be
of great benefit to the development objectives of the LDCs.
The Brussels Conference can, I may venture to say, epitomize
the type of international negotiations in this new century
inasmuch as it intends to deeply involve civil society in
its deliberations. We, and the international community as
a whole, are learning that critical issues do not belong
solely to the realm of governments; civil society, including
Parliamentarians, the business community and youth, should
also have a say in such matters. It is thus only natural
that, at Brussels, avenues will be open for civil society
to express its views in a constructive and fruitful manner.
Mr.
Ricupero is Secretary-General of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and of the
Third United Nations Conference on the LDCs.
UNCTAD
Established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body,
UNCTAD is the principal organ of the United Nations General
Assembly in the field of trade and development.
UNCTAD’s main goals are to maximize the trade,
investment and development opportunities of developing countries,
and to help them face challenges arising from globalization
and integrate into the world economy, on an equitable basis.
Contact: External Relations Service:
UNCTAD
Palais des Nations
1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 907 57 88
Fax: +41 22 907 00 43
Email: ers@unctad.org
Website: www.unctad.org
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