Brussels, 25/09/08: Current development models and policies have completely failed the world’s least developed countries (LDCs), according to a statement made by LDC Watch, a global alliance of national, regional and international civil society organisations (CSOs), networks and movements based in the LDCs and supported by civil society from development partner countries, released on the occasion of the MDG summit in New York.

The statement draws attention to the fact that recent World Bank claims that extreme poverty has been reduced by half in the last 25 years should be treated with caution. The Social Watch Basic Capabilities Index published this week, which is calculated on progress in terms of basic social indicators rather than levels of income, shows that out of the 33 countries in the critical level, 28 are LDCs. The recent MDG Gap Task Force Report commissioned by the UN Secretary-General also draws discouraging conclusions.

Failure to achieve the MDGs in the LDCs will be a failure of the international community to deliver on its commitments to the 750 million people living in poverty in LDCs. LDC Watch therefore states: NO MDGs without LDCs!

• Click here to read the LDC Watch statement
• Click here to read a press release about the launch of the Social Watch Basic Capabilities Index 2008
• Click here to see the results of the Social Watch Basic Capabilities Index 2008
• Click here to read an IPS News article about the launch of the Social Watch Basic Capabilities Index 2008
• Click here to read a blog by Jeffrey Sachs on FT.com about the US$ 700 billion bailout of the US banking system