Two days before the UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which will be held next week in Istanbul, Turkey, the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the international community and the private sector to invest more in the economies of the poorest countries in the world.

"Investing in Least Developed Countries is an operation win-win for everyone : the traditional donors, the emerging economies, the private sector and the most important for a billion people which deserve to enjoy their rights and social progress and enjoy better standards of life", declared Friday, Ban Ki-moon in an article published jointly with the President of Turkey, Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister of Nepal, Jhala Nath Kanal, in the Turkish newspaper Today Zamman's.

"The least developed countries will not easily escape their vulnerability. Climate change poses serious challenges", he said, specifying that "food prices also represent a challenge".

Monday will open the Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC IV), which will gather for a week in Istanbul, Turkey, more than 20 heads of state, parliamentarians, private sector representatives , as well as senior officials from international organizations.

48 Heads of State and Government have confirmed that they will take part in the Fourth United Nations Conference on LDCs. 24 Heads of secretariats and agencies of the United Nations will also attend.

The goal of the negotiators of the 48 States listed in the category of "least developed countries (LDCs)", whose 33 are in Africa, 14 in Asia and one in the Americas (Haiti), is to obtain from the rest of the international community new measures allowing them to build and develop infrastructure. To succeed, LDCs must make progress on economic reform, governance and resource mobilization at national level.

Cheick Sidi Diarra, the UN's Under-Secretary-General for the LDCs says the poorest countries need to make fundamental changes if they are to develop.

"Transparency, good governance, diversification of the economy and putting in place the basis of infrastructure required and human skill to attract foreign direct investment is something important."

With growth rates greater than those achieved by the emerging countries over the past decade, to the possession of a substantial part of global strategic natural resources as well as a young workforce and a growing purchasing power, LDCs arouse the interest of the private sector. Trade fair will be also organized in Istanbul on the occasion of the holding of the LDC IV, as well that a private sector forum, and a summit of business leaders on the opportunities that represent LDCs for the business world.

HL/ HaitiLibre