During a visit to JOICFP on 15th June, Anwarul Chowdhury, UN Under-Secretary and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, spoke to JOICFP eNEWS.

eNEWS: How can you motivate donor nations to support achievement of the MDGs by assisting the countries you are concerned with?

Chowdhury: Out of the 50 Least Developed Countries, the majority are in Africa, and some are landlocked and others are island states. In addition there are other Small Island Developing States and Landlocked Developing Countries. In total, these amount to 94 countries. (Click here for global chart of the countries).

They are marginalized in globalization of trade, geographically access is difficult, climate is often extreme, and they suffer natural disasters. Furthermore, there are structural weaknesses and a lack of capacity.

In a word, these countries are vulnerable.

With a combined population of 750 million, or about 12% of the world’s total, by 2015, the target date to achieve the MDGs, this will have risen to 950 million.

Population is always linked with the issues of poverty and the environment, for example, an half of these people will be living in extreme poverty, i.e. on less than a dollar-a-day.

It is this rising extreme poverty the world must recognize. Poverty anywhere is poverty everywhere. These levels of poverty and underdevelopment will drag people into despair, and in turn to civil strife, destabilization and terrorism.

"Assisting vulnerable countries benefits everyone."
Anwarul Chowdhury at JOICFP

eNEWS: What message do you specifically have for the Japanese government and people?

Chowdhury: Japan has been a major player in world development, and its assistance must continue. Its ODA affects millions of people, and further reductions will have a severe negative impact on them.

The target of Japan’s ODA must be people at the grassroots, improving the quality of their lives. Japan’s Human Security Fund is a laudable example of this.

The Japanese economy is now picking up again, and Japan can strengthen its role in the world concomitant with an increase in ODA.

In 2008, Japan will host the G8 Summit and TICAD IV, and we expect new initiatives from Japan.

We know the Japanese public wants to connect with and support people from other nations, and NGOs such as JOICFP give them the opportunity to do so.