UNESCO and Least Developed Countries

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BSP-LDC News Bulletin
High Representative Chowdhury on official visit to UNESCO

25-10-02:  The Under Secretary General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, H.E. Anwarul Karim Chowdhury of Bangladesh, undertook an official visit to UNESCO today at the request of the Director-General, Mr Koïchiro Matsuura.

Throughout the day, the Under Secretary-General had the opportunity to meet with the Director-General, Permanent Delegates and members of the Headquarters Secretariat.

During his intervention on the role and functions of the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Ambassador Chowdhry highlighted the fact that his office is responsible for the implementation and follow-up of the Brussels Declaration and the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, subsequent to The United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries.

He outlined four pillars as the framework of action for inter-agency relations in this regard.  These pillars include:

• Country level implementation of the Brussels Document
• Partnership co-operation with multi-lateral organizations outside the UN system; and,
• Partnerships with non-State actors, notably civil society and the private sector
• UN system mainstreaming of the Least Developed Countries

On this last point, Ambassador Chowdhury applauded UNESCO’s initiative at producing the “UNESCO-mainstreaming: the Least Developed Countries” booklet, mentioning that this Organization was the first in the UN system to have produced such an exhaustive examination of its actions in the LDCs.  He highly recommended that it be widely circulated – requesting that it be made available to participants during the High Representatives Report to the Second Committee of the 57^th session of the United Nations General Assembly to be held at UN Headquarters on 4^th November.

Speaking of ways and means to effectively work together, the High Representative  requested that UNESCO’s field offices and National Commission representation ensure every effort in urging governments to support the needs of the Least Developed Countries.  He stressed that only through concentration of efforts in the LDCs could the Millennium Development Goals, (MDGs) and the NEPAD objectives be achieved.

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Further information on UNESCO’s actions in the Least Developed Countries  can be found on:

http://www.unesco.org/ldc

Focal Point For Least Developed Countries
Office of the Director
Bureau of Strategic Planning
UNESCO HQ
7, place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07 SP
France