The Brussels Programme provides a “framework for partnership” between the LDCs and their development partners carrying the overarching goal of making “substantial progress towards halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty and suffering from hunger by 2015 and promot[ing] the sustainable development of the LDCs”. It contains 30 international development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration. The Programme is based on shared but differentiated responsibilities or mutual commitments between the LDCs and their development partners, and articulates the policies and measures by the LDCs in seven interlinked areas: 1) fostering a people-centred policy framework; 2) good governance at national and international levels; 3) building human and institutional capacities; 4) building productive capacities to make globalisation work for LDCs; 5) enhancing the role of trade in development; 6) reducing vulnerability and protecting the environment; and 7) mobilising financial resources.

The Programme contains ten cross-cutting priority issues: poverty eradication, gender equality, employment, governance at national and international levels, capacity-building, sustainable development, special problems of landlocked and small island LDCs, and challenges faced by conflict-affected LDCs. Its implementation is guided by the following five principles: 1) an integrated approach; 2) genuine partnership; 3) country ownership; 4) market considerations; and 5) result orientation. It is well recognised in the Programme that success will critically depend on effective follow-up, implementation, monitoring and review at the national, regional and global levels. For this purpose, by its Resolution 56/227, UNGA has also established the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) at the UN Headquarters in New York.

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