Istanbul to host UN Conference on LDCs
The Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 9 to 13 May 2011.
The conference aims to identify new challenges and opportunities for least developed countries; reaffirm the global commitment to address the special needs of the least developed countries; mobilize additional international support measures and action in favour of the least developed countries, and, formulate and adopt a renewed partnership between the least developed countries and their development partners.
The objective of the conference is to address the unique needs of the 48 Least Developed Countries which are especially vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and natural disasters. Totally, they have a combined population of more than 8885 million people - the poorest and most vulnerable segment of humanity. Most of those people live on less than $2 a day and face serious hardships that put their health and well-being at risk.
Thirty-three of the 48 poorest countries are in Africa, and include Angola, Chad, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mozambique, Sudan and Somalia. Another 14 are in Asia, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, and Nepal. Just one - Haiti - is in the Western Hemisphere.
Armenia and Israel are not participating in the UN Conference on LDCs.
