Panel discussion on the UN Conference on Least Developed Countries, Brussels, 3 May 2011

PANEL DISCUSSION on the UN Conference on Least Developed Countries, on 3 May at the ACP Secretariat, Avenue Georges Henri 451, Brussels. The UN Conference on Least Developed Countries will take place in Istanbul from 9 to 13 May 2011. The 48 countries group includes 33 in sub-Saharan Africa and outlying islands, 14 in South Asia and Oceania, and one (Haiti) in the Caribbean.

Despite strong economic growths rates in recent years, three quarters of the men, women and children in least developed countries lived on less than $2 a day, causing great harm to their health, well-being and development.  To make matters worse, recent global food price hikes threatened to create a new food crisis in those nations, where the poorest people often spent three quarters of their income on food.
 
What is the current situation of the Least Developed Countries? With world leaders meeting next week in Istanbul, what are the expectations? How committed is Europe? What does the ACP Group anticipate?
 
The panel discussion will give an overview of the challenges that will be raised during the conference. This discussion is jointly organized by the ACP secretariat, the IOF and UNRIC.
 
Who? 

• Ambassador Bocar Ba of Mali, Chairman of the ACP Working Group on LDCs meeting.
  
• Louis Michel, MEP, and member of the Group of Eminent Persons appointed  by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to examine development problems faced by Least Developed Countries.
  
• Charles Gore, Head, Research and Policy Analysis Branch, Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes at UNCTAD.
  
• Pietro Sicuro, Permanent representative, International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF).
  
• Simon Stocker, Secretary-General of EUROSTEP (member of CONCORD).
  

 
The panel members will give short 10 minutes introductions followed by a debate moderated by Janos Tisovszky, Deputy Director, UNRIC.
 
When? 3 May 2011, 10.30-12.30
 
Where?  ACP Secretariat, Avenue Georges Henri 451, 1200 Brussels 
 
Language of presentations: English and French with interpretation. 
 
Press: Possibility of one-on-one after the discussion. For more information: Alexandra Froger, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Tel. +32 2 788 84 61 or Jean-Luc Onckelinx This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Tel. +32 476 215 485