Brain drain major problem for LDCs: Study

FE Team | Published: July 24, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Many of the world's Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are losing large part of their already shallow pool of skilled professionals to western countries - hindering their ability to pull themselves out of poverty, a report by the UN said.
The UN's development arm warned that LDCs could see their long-term growth prospects damaged if the "brain drain" is not addressed.
In Bangladesh, 65 per cent of all newly graduated doctors seek jobs abroad and the country loses 200 doctors from the government sector each year.
The study by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) added that foreign aid has been largely ineffective because it has failed to recognize the importance of knowledge and innovation in driving development.
"The problem of brain drain highlights the bigger issue of knowledge," said Charles Gore, one of the report's authors. "We need to adopt new policies which should be orientated to reducing the technology gap and diversifying the economy.
"The LDCs have a huge problem when it comes to expanding their productive employment. It is no use just investing in human capital without policies which develop employment opportunities to encourage workers to stay."
The report showed that in 2004, one million educated people from LDCs emigrated out of a total skilled pool of 6.6 million - a loss of 15 per cent.
Haiti, Samoa, Gambia and Somalia were among the LDCs who have lost more than half of their university-educated professionals in recent years.
The health sector, in particular, has suffered from a large loss of trained workers, which UNCTAD said often had a severe impact on the standard of service available to the poor.
The problem is heightened by many developed countries such as the US and the UK actively gearing their employment policies to welcome more migrant workers in an attempt to make up for labour shortages.
"Trying to match the pay and working conditions of the developed countries can be difficult to achieve in the short term," said Gore. "The focus of poverty reduction and achieving sustained economic growth in LDCs is dependent on building a productive base to attract migrants back."
He added: "The two key ingredients are finance and knowledge. Without enough trained engineers, doctors and IT professionals, it is impossible for the firms of LDCs to use technology to upgrade their efficiency. And that makes it difficult for them to face foreign competitors."
Gore said that though aid to poor countries has been steady, the money is not being targeted to essential areas such as science and research. Payments to these areas from 2003 to 2005 formed only 3.6 per cent of overall aid to LDCs.
"Most LDCs have opened up their economies," he said. "But even where they are attracting foreign investments, most LDCs are not climbing the economic and technological ladder."
The study says the LDCs economies remain locked into low value-added commodity production and low-skill manufacturing. Science, technology and innovation are necessities, not luxuries, for the poorest countries.
Only 95 people in every million are scientific researchers in LDCs compared to 3,728 in high-income countries. Enrolment at university-level institutions is only 3.5 per cent in LDCs against 69 per cent in rich nations.