Review of progress in the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010

The Trade and Development Board

1. Takes note of the Least Developed Countries Report 2009: The State andDevelopment Governance, prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat, and encouragesUNCTAD in this regard to continue to improve the quality of its research andanalysis, and also to enhance the dissemination of its findings for consideration ofthe member States;
   
   
2. Recognizing that the financial and economic crisis, as well as highlyvolatile prices of food and energy, have been seriously threatening to reverse theeconomic and social progress achieved by least developed countries (LDCs) duringrecent years, including their attainment of the internationally agreed developmentgoals, including the Millennium Development Goals, and the goals and targets ofthe Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade2001-2010, encourages donors and potential donors in a position to do so tocontinue and increase their development assistance, with a view to meetingcommitments and also the goals and targets of the Brussels Programme of Action;encourages LDCs to enhance their efforts at productive capacity-building, economicdiversification and domestic resource mobilization; and calls upon UNCTAD tofocus its activities with these objectives in view;
   
   
3. Reaffirms that trade will increasingly continue to be relied upon by LDCsto generate the resources for financing growth and development, to complementthose from official development assistance and private capital flows;
   
   
4. Appreciates the quality of the Least Developed Countries Report 2009:The State and Development Governance; and stresses the importance of governmentpolicies to promote development and poverty reduction in LDCs, includingagricultural and industrial policies which contribute to developing productivecapacities, whilst stressing the importance of a conducive environment for businessand private sector initiative
   
   
5. Reiterates that the primary responsibility for development in LDCs restswith LDCs themselves, but that their efforts need to be given concrete andsubstantial international support from Governments and international organizationsin the spirit of shared responsibility through genuine partnership, including withcivil society and the private sector;
   
   
6. Recognizes that food security is a global priority and crucial for LDCs,appreciates the international and national initiatives in tackling this challenge and,in this regard, requests the international community to continue to support theLDCs’ efforts in ensuring food security;
   
   
7. Encourages further promotion of good governance that contributes todevelopment and supports economic growth, structural change, inclusivedevelopment and poverty reduction, and invites development partners to supportsuch initiatives of the LDCs;
   
   
8. Reaffirms¹ that the Brussels Programme of Action for the LeastDeveloped Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 constitutes a fundamentalframework for a strong global partnership, whose goal is to accelerate sustainedeconomic growth, sustainable development and poverty eradication in the LDCs;
   
   
9. Recalls the decision of General Assembly resolution 63/227 to convenethe Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries in 2011, andrequests UNCTAD, within its mandate, to provide necessary support and activelycontribute to the preparatory process and to the conference itself;
   
   
10. Thanks the contributors to the UNCTAD LDCs Trust Fund, expressesconcern that the fund never reached its intended level, and invites donors andpotential donors in a position to do so to make financial contributions to the TrustFund for use in accordance with the terms of reference of the Trust Fund to ensure,inter alia, full and effective participation of the LDC representatives and their civilsociety actors in the preparatory processes of the Fourth United Nations Conferenceon Least Developed Countries and at the conference itself; also invitesextrabudgetary contributions from donors and potential donors in a position to do soto enable the UNCTAD secretariat to enhance its substantive and technicalcontributions to the preparatory processes and to the conference;
    
    
11. Requests the Secretary-General of UNCTAD to review the humanresources requirements of the Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries andSpecial Programmes, in light of its mandates and activities, and to report to the nextregular session of the Trade and Development Board with a plan to allocate to thedivision adequate resources while respecting UNCTAD’s agreed overall budgetlevel;
    
    
12. Requests the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, within existing resources,to ensure that future major publications of UNCTAD, as appropriate, particularly theflagship reports,² address the special and particular challenges of the LDCs.

¹ Inter alia as in the preamble of General Assembly resolution 63/227 and in Economic and SocialCouncil resolution 2008/37.

² Trade and Development Report, World Investment Report, Least Developed Countries Report, Economic Development in Africa Report, Information Economy Report, Review of MaritimeTransport and the Technology and Innovation Report.