Issue 4 – On track to prosperity?

The theme of this – the fourth – issue of Making It: Industry for Development is the challenge facing the world’s 49 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and in particular the importance of strengthening productive capacity.

In the keynote article, the UN’s High Representative for LDCs, Cheick Sidi Diarra, argues that by improving productive resources, entrepreneurial capabilities, and production linkages, these countries can strengthen their resilience to external shocks and lessen their dependence on external assistance. But they will only succeed if they implement new policies, devise new forms of development governance, and receive more effective multilateral support.

Ahead of the Fourth UN conference on LDCs that will take place in May next year, Debapriya Bhattacharya previews the issues to be discussed, and highlights the dilemma of how to marry economic growth with poverty reduction.

Our country feature looks at the Pacific Island nation of Kiribati, an LDC and a Small Island Developing State that faces a threat to its very existence in the form of rising sea levels and temperatures. Kiribati’s president, Anote Tong, talks about his country’s remarkable gesture to help save the Pacific Ocean’s fish stocks and preserve global biodiversity.

There are also articles on community bank alternatives to microfinance, renewable energy trends in the developing world, the relevance of entrepreneurship for economic development, and much more.