The cover of The Least Developed Countries Report 2007 shows two distorted maps above one another, signifying the disparity between countries possessing a great deal of commercial knowledge and the impoverished nations. Prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Report emphasizes the importance of science, technology and innovation in the struggle for development of least developed countries (LDCs). It also states that "technological change increases the productivity of land, labour and capital, reducing costs of production and improving the quality of outputs". In order to successfully combat poverty in LDCs, the Report argues that measures need to be taken to foster technological development and innovative knowledge.

Professor Calestous Juma UN photo/Mark Garten

The Report, one of the first to solely focus on the concept of knowledge and technology in the context of LDCs, was launched on 19 July 2007 in light of the recent midway point of the Millennium Development Goals. During a briefing at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Calestous Juma, the faculty chair of the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Program at Harvard University, explained the Report in detail and answered questions. He emphasized that innovation and knowledge play a key role in the advancement of the economies and societies of LDCs. To achieve progress in this area requires the cooperation of both developed and developing countries. Dr. Juma said that the Report "sets the stage in terms of public policy interventions".

The Report's main focus is that "unless the LDCs adopt policies to stimulate technological catch-up with the rest of the world, they will continue to fall behind other countries technologically and face deepening marginalization in the global economy". In order for these countries to successfully alleviate poverty and close the technology gap, they must introduce policies that harbor the advancement of science, technology and knowledge. For example, higher education in a university setting is important to ensure technological development and the spread of knowledge, especially in combating the development problems of LDCs. Scientific research and the development of agricultural technology would lead to greater output among developing countries. In addition, the expansion of intellectual property rights in LDCs would provide positive benefits for the economies in those particular countries.

At the briefing, Dr. Juma's presentation built on the Report and delineated important steps that LDCs and developed countries need to take in order to alleviate development problems. He stressed the need for donor countries to help finance and support higher education initiatives and agricultural development. Primarily, both least developed and developed countries need to work cooperatively and initiate new policies in order to close the technology gap. The Report is "intended to provoke fresh thinking about development strategies and poverty reduction in the LDCs by both LDC Governments and their development partners".

Timor-Leste Women prepare vegetables UN photo/Martine Perret

According to the Report, Governments of LDCs are only allotting 0.3 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) to research and development, in contrast to developing countries which contribute 0.8 per cent, and developed countries with 2.4 per cent. The low percentage of GDP allocated to research and development has hindered LDCs efforts to effectively advance in the global economy. Decreasing the science and technology gap between LDCs and the rest of the world is essential to their livelihood. The Least Developed Countries Report also outlines the technological development issues that LDCs currently face. Dr. Juma emphasized a collective approach involving the United Nations to undertake the challenges of development, saying that "if there's one thing the UN could do, it would serve as a forum of the sharing of experiences".