Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary General of the UN,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are delighted by the creation of the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). We hope that the creation of this office will ensure the effective and coordination implementation of the new Programme of Action for LDCs for the decade of 2001-2010. We assume that if the Office High Representative does not receive the necessary resources it requires, in time, it will be difficult to fulfil the mandates that have been assigned to it.
We congratulate this group of countries that established its own Bureau of Coordination. We are sure that, under the direction of Benin, brotherly and friendly country, this initiative will reinforce the cohesion and coordination among all countries and components of the Group 77. We must all stand together in solidarity with the LDCs and place among our priorities, the implementation of the Programme of Action for LDCs.
LDCs need increased support regarding ODA and cancellation or substantial reduction of the debt, which continues to consume a big part of their financial resources. They also require better access to the markets of developed countries, if we are to provide them with the opportunity to carry out the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.
Numerous developing countries have cooperation and assistance programs in favor of LDCs, such as Morocco, which has decided to cancel the debt of the African LDCs and provide free access of their exports to the Kingdom of Morocco.