28 May 2016 \u2013 More than two dozen journalists from the world’s least developed countries are in Antalya, Turkey, to report on a United Nations conference focused on the state of their homelands, and to ensure that key messages are disseminated as widely as possible thanks to their local news outlets.<\/p>\n
Aminata Charlotte Seck, an editor for a monthly women’s magazine in Senegal, said she was particularly interested to hear about the \u201cimpressive\u201d statistics shared by Rwanda, regarding its progress made over the past five years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis brings a lot of hope,\u201d she told the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ News Centre<\/em>. \u201cWe have to tell this story so people know it’s possible, it’s not only a dream.\u201d<\/p>\n The Midterm Review of the Istanbul Programme of Action<\/a> (IPoA), which opened yesterday, is focused on assessing what least developed countries (LDCs) have achieved since the 10-year plan was adopted in 2011. It aims to give impetus to economic and social development in the 48 countries that currently meet the LDC criteria<\/a>, and thus receive special international support.<\/p>\n The three-day event, co-hosted by the United Nations and the Turkish Government, is underlining that while progress has been made in some of the LDCs, many still face significant challenges that need to be addressed at the national level with the support of donors.<\/p>\n The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ estimates that 51 per cent of the population of LDCs \u2013 almost 500 million people \u2013 still lives in extreme poverty; 18 million children of school age are not getting an education; and their exports only account for 1.1 per cent of the global total.<\/p>\n While most of the women and men journalists sponsored by Turkey to attend the conference are experts on these issues, many voiced that being in Antalya is an opportunity to learn more about other countries, especially those on different continents which they do not report on as much.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a rare opportunity,\u201d Koang Pal Chang, a South Sudanese reporter who works for Eye Radio<\/em> \u2013 with a listenership of one million \u2013 enthusiastically highlighted.<\/p>\n \u201cSome of the journalists have never heard of South Sudan. I’ve heard of all these countries, but I have never had a chance to meet their people face to face and to hear about their countries, what they are doing, to see how far they have gone and what are some things we share. For example, we share the situation of conflict in Somalia,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n