Intensify bids to lift LDCs out of poverty, urges PM

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ISTANBUL, May 8 (UNB): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on the development partners to intensify efforts in lifting the least developed countries (LDCs) out of poverty, and also urged the LDCs to "redouble" their own efforts to accelerate growth and sustain development in the changed global conditions. "LDCs need to graduate from their present status. The Istanbul Program of Action must create the conditions for LDCs to get out of poverty and underdevelopment," she said while addressing the Summit of the LDC Group at the Lutfi Kirdar Convention and Exhibition Centre here this (Sunday) afternoon. UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-moon, President of the 65th session of the UN General Assembly Joseph Deiss (Switzerland) and Prime Minister of Nepal Jhala Nath Khanal also spoke on the occasion. Heads of states and governments of the 48 LDCs attended the summit. But while development partners must offer LDCs "the space" to develop necessary human, social and financial capital, Hasina also called on them to "renew, enhance and make available" their full commitments of support, in a timely manner. The call was also directed towards the so-called emerging group of nations, for their cooperation and support so that the LDCs too could realise the dream of becoming middle-income countries. The Prime Minister said by graduating, LDCs would have greater capacity to economically interact, thereby providing added impetus to the developed world in making further progress in their development and living standards. She said she believed that the Istanbul Summit could create conditions for transforming the one-sixth of humanity living in LDCs into productive assets and attaining dignified lives. Hasina urged all to take an oath for creating a strong partnership in promoting human dignity, ensuring good and development-oriented governance, and realising the common vision of a world with equal opportunities for all. She mentioned that the "LDCs meet today still harbouring insecurities" with fragile economies characterised by structural weaknesses, human asset deficits, marginalisation in trade, wealth generation, technology, connectivity and global decision making, and vulnerabilities to external shocks. She also mentioned that though the LDCs have made significant progress on millennium development goals (MDGs), no comparable progress has been made in enhancing productive capacity and spurring growth keeping pace with developing countries. "LDCs need to redouble efforts to sustain high levels of growth for long periods to accelerate development. This is possible with enhanced support from our development partners." The Prime Minister said LDCs acknowledge that development is their own responsibility, and although they've done quite well with domestic resource mobilisation, institutional improvements and development planning in the last decade, sufficient productive capacity has not been added, nor has the expected human resource development taken place. "And that is largely because of shortfalls in the commitments of the development partners," Hasina asserted, before calling on development partners to also acknowledge that the current state of the LDCs is, to a large extent, due to unfair practices in a non-inclusive world order. LDCs continue to suffer from global inequity, falling commodity prices, increasing price of high end manufactures and services, unaffordable energy and technology, poor return of foreign investments, and climate change, she noted. She said that in an ever-increasingly globalised world, mankind's "common goal of world peace, security and progress" is attainable only through global cooperation. She argued that the development partners have a clear responsibility towards the LDCs' development. Much could have been achieved if most of them had kept their commitments made most recently in the Brussels' Program of Action for LDCs, according to the Bangladeshi premier. "It is unfortunate that some of the partners have not been able to measure up to our expectations. Some are not forthcoming. They point out their difficulty for additional commitments to the recent global financial meltdown. This meltdown has also affected LDCs' efforts to reduce poverty, enhance economic growth and attain the MDGs." She also blamed them for their protectionist policies. Moreover, she said, global warming and climate change, which originated due to the industrialisation in the developed world, have adversely affected the LDCs in terms of reduction in official development assistance, investment, export earnings, remittances, tourism, and spiralling energy and food prices. She said that food security is central to the needs of the LDCs. Food productivity, affordability, and accessibility are of great concern, calling for greater investment in agriculture and facilitation of technology transfer from developed countries to the LDCs. She mentioned that the adverse effects of climate change are experienced worldwide, and never more so than among the LDCs. "For Bangladesh, climate change is expected to affect the livelihoods of one-fourth of our population, displace over 20 million people, and destroy existing biodiversity and ecology. Most of the LDCs face similar situation and therefore, must be compensated for climate change-induced ills." She claimed that assistance to tackle these effects ought to be over and above the ODA provided for in the Brussels Program of Action. LDCs must get adaptation support and green technology at affordable prices. As for the climate migrants, a new legal regime under UNFCC Protocol ensuring their social, cultural and economic rehabilitation, needs to be in place. She also presented a host of issues for inclusion in the 'Istanbul Outcome Documents'.