An increase in development aid since 2002 has raised health and education standards and hastened gender equality among the world's poorest nations but overall poverty rates are not improving, says a new United Nations report.
The 2006 annual progress report of the secretary-general on the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries finds domestic reforms and a revival of commodity prices have underpinned strong economic growth in many of those states.
A number of them benefited from a steep rise in oil prices. But despite signs of progress, extreme poverty has deepened and overall social indicators remain cause for concern, the report released yesterday says.
Chronic poverty continues to be aggravated by diseases like HIV/AIDS and by environmental degradation, says the report, which the secretary-general submitted to the Economic and Social Council.
In addition, the positive impact of growth in many cases is mitigated by high birth rates and an unequal distribution of resources, the report notes.
"The message we are getting from the least developed countries is that they are working hard to take advantage of economic opportunities and to use effectively the assistance from international partners," said Anwarul Chowdhury, the UN's High Representative for the LDCs.
Foreign direct investment has generally been on the rise in these countries, the report shows. Trend lines for primary school education and gender quality in education, adult literacy, under-five and access to sanitation and clean water are largely positive, the report states.
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