21 October 2013: The UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) Second Committee (Economic and Financial) discussed the needs of countries in special situations, focusing on the development experiences of land-locked developing countries (LLDCs), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and small island developing States (SIDS).

The meeting, held on 21 October 2013, at UN Headquarters in New York, US, began with a statement from Gyan Chandra Acharya, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS. He said the poverty rate of LDCs was 47%in 2010, compared with the world average of 22%, and that official development assistance (ODA) to these countries decreased by 13%in 2013. He called for the fulfillment of ODA commitments, the creation of a global mechanism for technology transfer, and increased South-South and triangular cooperation.

In an interactive dialogue among Member States, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, on behalf of the Group of LLDCs, said progress has been made on building transit transport systems for the integration of land-locked countries into the global economy. Benin, on behalf of the LDCs, discussed the need for financing for technological growth, including research and development. Tuvalu said next year’s International Year of SIDS is an opportunity to ensure the long-term sustainability and survival of these countries.

Discussion also focused on: implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action on LLDCs; the needs of countries in special situations in the post-2015 development agenda; uneven progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia; and the difficulties for countries graduating out of LDC status. [Meeting Summary] [Second Committee Website]