Commonwealth undertakes study to generate debate ahead of UN summit on poor countries

Building of a critical mass of informed citizens is vital for the progress of poor countries including those that are natural resource rich if their resources are to be a blessing, and not a curse, celebrated economist Paul Collier has said.

Professor Collier, the author of the widely regarded: Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done about it, said this on 8 July 2010 in London, while presenting preliminary findings of a study commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat, highlighting the challenges faced by the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and setting out recommendations on how to address them.

The study is meant to inform international debate in the run up to the fourth UN conference on least developed countries that is scheduled to take place in 2011 in Turkey.

“Poor LDCs are the last frontiers of the unexplored parts of the world. And in the next decade, discoveries of natural resources such as oil, diamonds and other mineral resources will determine whether these will present an opportunity to transform the lives of millions of citizens in these countries. In that regard an informed citizenry that can put pressure on their leaders to ensure that the resources are used to the benefit of the people will be critical,” said Professor Collier, who also leads research and study of African economies at Oxford University.

He said developing countries will also need to be helped to break into the manufacturing sector as a means of creating jobs for the millions of their citizens.

“Trade preference alone isn’t and won’t be enough. Poor countries have to invest in new electricity plants, roads, ports and skills developments-and clearly these areas require huge investments which the donor community has to help them with,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the head of International Trade and Regional Co-operation at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Edwin Laurent said that the forthcoming UN LDC IV is of great interest to the Commonwealth Secretariat.

“Democracy and development being two fundamental pillars of its activities, the Secretariat strives to contribute to pro-poor sustainable economic growth in its developing country members,” Mr Laurent said.

He added that “fifteen of the 54 members of the Commonwealth are LDCs and their trade and development is evidently of the highest concern to them but the Commonwealth as a whole, attaches special priority to helping them progress out of poverty and underdevelopment.”

“What no one wants is LDC 1V to be just another of the pious and well intentioned gatherings whose declarations are comforting to the conscience but ultimately have little impact on the wellbeing of those that are to be helped,” he added.

Mr Laurent emphasised that serious comprehensive and meaningful international debate in the run up to the UN LDC IV Conference would enrich the proceeding and ensure that what is actually negotiated are the full range of substantial issues that will contribute to lasting and beneficial outcomes for the world's poorest countries.