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..Press
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UNESCAP News Services
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Date 6
May 2005
Press Release No: N/20/2005
REGION’S POOREST COUNTRIES LOOK TO TRADE,
DEBT RELIEF,
AID AND ICT TO ACHIEVE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
UNESCAP Special Body meets 10-11
May in Bangkok prior to 61st Commission Session
Bangkok (United Nations Information Services)
– The Seventh Session of UNESCAP’s Special Body
on Least Developed and Landlocked Developing Countries will
meet in Bangkok from 10-11 May 2005 to consider trade, debt
relief and aid for the achievement of the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs), and information, communication and space technology
for meeting development challenges.
“Despite the region’s thriving economic
growth and broad-based inroads in poverty reduction, the majority
of Asia-Pacific’s least developed and landlocked developing
countries are not much better off than those elsewhere in the
world,” said UNESCAP Executive Secretary Mr. Kim Hak-Su.
“Information and communication technology
is increasingly becoming an indispensable tool in achieving
international development goals such as the MDGs in the areas
of education, health care, gender equality, environmental protection
and partnerships.”
The Special Body on Least Developed and Landlocked
Developing Countries discusses and makes recommendations to
the Commission on selected issues of importance to the least
developed and landlocked developing countries.
Of the world’s 50 least developed countries,
14 are located in the UNESCAP region, as are 12 of the world’s
30 landlocked developing countries. Four UNESCAP members - Afghanistan,
Bhutan, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Nepal - are considered
to be both least developed and landlocked developing countries.
More information on least developed and landlocked developing
countries may be found on the UNESCAP website at www.unescap.org/mdg/ldcindex.asp.
The report of the Special Body is expected to highlight the
concerns of the least developed and landlocked developing countries
in light of the United Nations Millennium +5 Summit which will
be held in New York in September 2005.
Participants of note include Mr. Anwarul Chowdhury,
High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked
Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, who
will take part in the session.
The Special Body immediately precedes UNESCAP’s
61st Commission Session, scheduled for 12-18 May at the UN Conference
Centre, Bangkok.
For further information, please contact:
United Nations Information Services
Tel: +(66-2) 288-1861-66; Fax: +(66-2) 288-1052
E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org
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