Unless their domestic businesses and farmers can acquire knowledge and technology, the world's poorest countries will not be able to achieve the sustained economic growth necessary to reduce poverty, a United Nations report said on Thursday.
Most of the world's 50 least developed countries (LDCs) have opened their economies and are now highly integrated with the rest of the world, noted the Least Developed Countries Report 2007 released by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
But although they are increasing exports and attracting foreign investments, most LDCs are not climbing the economic and technological ladder and their economies remain locked into low value-added commodity production and low-skill manufacturing, the report said.
According to the report, knowledge is becoming increasingly important in global production and competition, but this is precisely where the LDCs are at their weakest.
Their firms and farms have low technological capabilities; skills are underdeveloped; and the domestic institutions which could support technology acquisition and diffusion are lacking or ineffective, the report said.
The report suggested that LDC governments adopt policies to spur science, technology and innovation, just as industrialized countries do.
It also urged rich countries to increase official aid in support of science, technology and innovation in LDCs.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article