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Poor need manufacturing, says UN | Poor need manufacturing, says UN |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The world's poorest countries should move away from selling their natural resources and concentrate instead on manufacturing, a UN report says. | The world's poorest countries should move away from selling their natural resources and concentrate instead on manufacturing, a UN report says. |
The document said selling raw materials leads to insecurity and does little to ease poverty for the "bottom billion" - those living on less than $1 a day. | The document said selling raw materials leads to insecurity and does little to ease poverty for the "bottom billion" - those living on less than $1 a day. |
The report praises Asian countries such as Malaysia for opening up its markets and developing manufacturing industry. | The report praises Asian countries such as Malaysia for opening up its markets and developing manufacturing industry. |
But the authors said much of Africa was still dependent on short-term aid. | But the authors said much of Africa was still dependent on short-term aid. |
FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service | |
Kandeh Yumkella, from the UN's Industrial Development Organization (Unido), which wrote the report, said Africa had been dogged for decades by the "happy peasant syndrome". | Kandeh Yumkella, from the UN's Industrial Development Organization (Unido), which wrote the report, said Africa had been dogged for decades by the "happy peasant syndrome". |
"We show a picture of this poor guy, with his wife and five children in a hut," he told Reuters. | "We show a picture of this poor guy, with his wife and five children in a hut," he told Reuters. |
"We've had this concept since the 1960s that we can change this guy, and it sells because people then give money. | "We've had this concept since the 1960s that we can change this guy, and it sells because people then give money. |
"It's not the Asian model - they look at competitiveness, opening up markets and manufacturing." | "It's not the Asian model - they look at competitiveness, opening up markets and manufacturing." |
Button town | Button town |
The report's authors warn that excluding so many people from the world's prosperity leads to failed states and global insecurity. | The report's authors warn that excluding so many people from the world's prosperity leads to failed states and global insecurity. |
And concentrating on raw materials such as oil or gold, they say, can take workers away from manufacturing and push up the price of goods. | And concentrating on raw materials such as oil or gold, they say, can take workers away from manufacturing and push up the price of goods. |
But the report warned that poor nations need to choose carefully which products they make for export. | But the report warned that poor nations need to choose carefully which products they make for export. |
Rather than selling complete items like shirts, they should specialise in specific, smaller items to build expertise and increase market share. | Rather than selling complete items like shirts, they should specialise in specific, smaller items to build expertise and increase market share. |
The report cites the example of Qiaotou, a rice-growing town in eastern China that now produces almost two-thirds of the world's buttons. | The report cites the example of Qiaotou, a rice-growing town in eastern China that now produces almost two-thirds of the world's buttons. |
The report says wealthy nations can help poor ones recreate this success by investing in their industries and allowing them access to world markets through trade preferences. | The report says wealthy nations can help poor ones recreate this success by investing in their industries and allowing them access to world markets through trade preferences. |
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