Asia-Pacific LDC policymakers to meet in Dhaka January next

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Nazmul Ahsan
Policymakers and ministers of the least developed countries (LDCs) of the Asia-Pacific region will gather in Dhaka next January to devise a common strategy for dealing with the effects of the ongoing global economic crisis, climate change and problems in getting access to markets of developed countries, according to competent sources.
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) of the United Nations and the Bangladesh government will jointly organize the meeting. A consensus among 13 Asia Pacific LDCs on major issues is considered important ahead of the 4th UN- sponsored LDC conference to be held in Turkey in May 2011.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has recently approved the date proposed by the ESCAP. Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under Secretary General of the UN and Executive Secretary, ESCAP, will moderate the two-day conference from January 14 to 15 at Hotel Sonargaon.
The upcoming Asia-Pacific LDC conference will also evaluate the progress in the implementation of the commitments made by the UN in favour of 49 LDCs during the 3rd UN-LDC conference held in Brussels in 2001, officials in the Ministry of Finance said.
The high level conference will analyze the state of food security and discuss ways to make the agriculture economies of the LDC countries resilient, sources said.
The Economic Relations Division under the MoF is now busy coordinating the Dhaka LDC conference.
The 13 countries falling under the Asia-Pacific LDCs are-Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Kiribati, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, the Maldives and Vanuatu.
The finance minister of Kiribiti, planning minister of Nepal, planning and aid coordination minister of Solomon Islands and vice-minister of planning and international cooperation of Yemen have so far confirmed their participation in the forthcoming Asia-Pacific meeting in Dhaka, sources said.
Other ministers and top government officials of remaining member countries are expected to confirm their participation soon, an official in the ERD said.
''The leaders from LDC countries will consider new priorities for action ahead of the next 4th UN-LDC conference given the current global economic crises. Their marginalization in world trade is expected to be figure prominently at the Asia-Pacific LDC conference,' a top official in the ERD told the FE.
''Presentation will be made on the entire progress of action in line with the Brussels Declaration of 3rd LDC conference," he added.
Experts said the LDCs, particularly the Asian ones, have long been hit hard by climate change and fake assurance from rich nations towards granting duty free market access for their products.
The plights of the least developed countries have increased as the demand for their exportable products have fallen severely in the wake of global meltdown, causing their further marginalization in global trade.
The upcoming Asia-Pacific LDC conference under the guidance of the UN could be a helpful one if the UN really means what it says and put pressure on industrialized nations to lend their support to the LDC countries.