Istanbul To Host Meeting Of Least Developed Countries

ANKARA - The annual ministerial conference of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) will be hosted by Turkey in Istanbul on July 9th-10th.
The ministerial conference titled "Making Globalisation Work for LDCs" is organised in collaboration with the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Issues of trade & investment, energy, technology and agriculture will be discussed during the the two-day conference.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to deliver a speech at the conference, where 28 of the 50 LDCs are expected to be represented at the ministerial level.
H.E. Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, President of the sixty-first session of the General Assembly, Kemal Dervis, head of the United Nations Development Programme, Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) are expected to attend the meeting as well.

-TURKEY AS A COMMITTED GLOBAL PLAYER-

Turkey, is trying to prove its commitment and potential to contribute to efforts to resolve global problems, and to show its support to LDCs by hosting the meeting, officials say.
Diplomatic sources tell that the meeting will contribute promotion of Turkey and its bilateral relations with these countries.
Hosting the UN meeting in Turkey would contribute the active role Turkey wants to play in the Union as well, said the sources.
Turkey wants to secure temporary membership in the UN Security Council in 2009-2010 period.

-LDC COUNTRIES-

In its latest triennial review of the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in 2006, the Committee for Development Policy used the following three criteria for the identification of the LDCs: a low-income criterion, based on a three-year average estimate of the gross national income (GNI) per capita (under $745 for inclusion); a human capital status criterion; and an economic vulnerability criterion. To be added to the list, a country must satisfy all three criteria. In addition the population must not exceed 75 million.

-TURKEY TO SHARE EXPERIENCES-

On the other hand, in the second day of the conference, Turkish businessmen will meet with the representatives from LDCs and assess the possible contributions Turkey can make, and review investment opportunities.
Turkey will share its experiences on the way to development during the conference as well.
Detailed information about the conference program can be reached at "http://www.un.org/ohrlls/"