Zambia's first decade as LDC.

• Author: Schmeil, Nadja
• Position: Third United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries - Statistical Data Included

In May 2001, the European Union and the United Nations hosted the Third United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Brussels, Belgium. Testimony to the continuously growing number of LDCs was Zambia's first-time participation as one of the 49 poorest countries in the world.

"There are certain benefits and certain expectations when you are regarded as a poor man", said Dr. Herrick Mpuku, Zambia's Permanent Secretary of Budget and Economic Affairs, during an interview before the Conference. Zambia, which became an LDC ten years ago, did not attend the first Conference and held observer status at the second.

Expectations of increased socio-economic benefits fuelled the spirits at the commencement on 14 May of the Third United Nations Conference. At the opening session, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, "we are here to consider what kind of support would be most useful to the people of the world's 49 least developed countries and to make sure that they get it".

Representatives at the Conference spanned LDCs, non-governmental organizations, Heads of State and multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, Cisco Systems and Oxfam International. This diversity reflected the Conference's objective of including members of civil society, the private sector, as well as Governments, in the global dialogue.

Throughout the week, round-table discussions keyed in on topics which included migration and refugees, the business sector, the digital economy and youth. Thematic sessions highlighted issues such as education, international trade, energy, and human resources development and employment.

The Conference culminated in the production of a new Programme of Action report that aims to rectify the lack of implementation of policies proscribed by the Paris Programme of Action report, adopted at the Second LDC Conference in 1990. Main goals set by the Programme of Action for this new decade have been developed in a collaborative process between LDCs and their development partners, in line with UN goals for the new millennium.

The new report determines that "the overarching goal of the Programme of Action is to make substantial progress toward halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty and suffering from hunger by 2015 and promote sustainable development of the LDCs". According to the report, LDCs hope to reach a minimum gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 7 per cent per year and...