31 July 2014: Delegates discussed ways to enhance the ability of least developed countries (LDCs) to overcome structural constraints, including in the post-2015 development agenda, at the Cotonou Conference. Participants agreed on the ‘Cotonou Agenda for productive capacity building in LDCs,’ which, inter alia, calls for donor countries to allocate at least 50% of their offical development assistance (ODA) and Aid for Trade disbursement to LDCs.
The conference focused on how to rapidly enhance support for LDCs to improve their productive and trading capacity, infrastructure development and human resources. It also highlighted the potential of modern technology to help LDCs leapfrog traditional development stages and pursue green economic paths.
“Enhancing productive capacities with value addition on a sustainable basis, improving infrastructure and promoting inclusive growth are key to eradicating poverty and ensuring a prosperous and dignified future,” the UN High Representative for LDCs, Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Gyan Chandra Acharya, stressed. Acharya said focusing on these issues will help LDCs build resilience.
Noting “the principal of shared responsibilities are deeply embedded in the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA),” Benin’s Foreign Minister Nassirou Bako-Arifari highlighted the conference as an important step in helping LDCs towards graduation from LDC status.
The Cotonou Agenda calls for, inter alia: renewed and strengthened global partnerships for achieving the priority areas of the IpoA, particularly on productive capacity building in the agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors; and enhanced support to enable half of LDCs to meet graduation criteria by 2020, including by removing structural constraints through eradicating poverty and achieving accelerated, equitable, inclusive and sustained growth and sustainable development. The Agenda recommends action on a number of issues to ensure the IPoA’s full, timely implementation, including resources to enhance LDCs’ resilience to climate change and address coastal erosion, desertification, droughts, floods, salinization and soil infertility, among other actions.
On the post-2015 agenda, the Cotonou Agenda stresses that productive capacity building should be considered within a sustainable development policy framework that supports structural transformation as a means for increasing economic, environmental and social development and building resilience. It recommends that the post-2015 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer guidance and direction towards such a policy framework for LDCs, and application of the principle of Differential and Preferential Treatment for LDCs (DPTL) in the post-2015 agenda and SDGs.
The UN Office for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS (UN-OHRLLS) and the UN Office on South-South Cooperation co-launched a South-South global assets and technology exchange platform, which will be supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and hosted by the Government of Benin. The Group of 7 (G-7) launched an initiative on Strengthening Assistance for Complex Contract Negotiations (CONNEX), with an initial focus on extractive industries. Other launched initiatives include: an International Investment Support Center for LDCs; and diaspora bonds for LDCs that will be guaranteed by regional Banks and the International Financial Institutions (IFIs).
The conference took place in Cotonou, Benin from 28-31 July 2014. Benin hosted the meeting with the support of UN-OHRLLS. [UN Press Release on Closing] [UN-OHRLLS Press Release on Closing] [UN Press Release on Opening] [UN-OHRLLS Press Release on Opening] [Cotonou Agenda] [Conference Website]