Message from the Director-General (excerpt)

For all the progress they have achieved in industrialization, most developing countries and countries in transition continue to face severe and complex challenges. These challenges are compounded by competitive pressures and technological changes that threaten to widen the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged nations. And while we have seen some developing regions progress in terms of participation in the global economy, others, most notably the least developed countries, have fallen further behind and continue to be in urgent need of international assistance.