United Nations

Least Developed Countries Conference 2001
The 3rd UN Conference on LDCs takes place in Brussels from May 10 to 20 2001. See the LDC Conference website. The meeting, organised by UNCTAD, will examine the situation of LDCs a decade on from LDC II, Paris 1990.

On May 14, the DAC issued a press release to mark an agreement on untying aid to LDCs. If DAC donors actually put this agreement into practice (a big if), the agreement would mean that $5 billion of the $8 billion currently supplied by DAC donors in bilateral aid to LDCs, would be untied. Goods provided under tied aid are estimated to cost 20-25% more that if the same goods were procured through international competition.The 48 least developed countries currently receive just 17% of bilateral aid.

Financing for Development 2002
Following a Feb 2001 Preparatory Meeting in New York, it has been agreed that the major UN Conference on Financing for Development will be held in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico from 18 to 22 March 2002.

The conference will have three segments : a high level officials meeting, a ministerial segment where governments will be invited to send fully integrated delegations with representatives from all relevant national ministries, and a summit level segment.

Full details of preparations for the FfD Summit, which is now expected to attract key heads of government, and the record of what was discussed at the Feb 2001 Prepcom (including Kofi Annan's report to the meeting, which lays out his views on what can be achieved) are on the FfD website : www.un.org/esa/ffd

After months of FfD preparations appearing to be hung up on the issue of resources - with OECD and G77 countries having very different expectations - there is now cautious optimism that, with the engagement of the Bank and Fund in this UN process, some substantive progress may be possible. But the exact extent to which aid volume and issues such as global finance and trade architecture will be on the agenda. For info emails ffd@un.org

World Assembly on Ageing 2002
A UN World Assembly on Ageing will be held in Madrid, Spain from 8 - 12 April 2002. The meeting will review progress since the first Assembly on Ageing held in Vienna 10 years ago. It will consider a draft Strategy for a Society for All Ages. Email Sylvia Beales at HelpAge on sbeales@helpage.org or see www.un.org/esa/supdev/ageing/waa/index.html

Children's Summit Sept 2001
In Sept 2001 the United Nations will hold a Children's in New York to examine progress made since 1989. See www.savethechildren.org.uk or www.unicef.org