well-beinq in the future, and if most of the people of the world continued to suffer from exploitation, poverty, hunqer, sickness and illiteracy. RM/3 A/S-18/PV. 7 6 (~r~ Srithirath;·Lao People's Derocratic · Iepublicl The hopes of the 1960s and 1970s that the gap between rich and poor countries could be substantially narrcwed were almost totally dissipated in the late 1980s, when most of the developing countries~ particularly the least developed among them, experienced a profound and prOlonged economic crisis dUe to several factors in the world economy that favour the rich to the detriment of the poor. Because of their structural vulnerability, those developing countries are the most seriously affected by the collapse in the prices of a large number of comrodi ties. 'lb that we must add the external-debt crisis, the population explosion, increased protectionism, a drop in investments and a decrease in the real value of external assistance. The development process, particularly in the least-advanced countries, has thus been severely slowed down and has, in sane cases, even been reversed, notwithstanding the implementation of the Substantial New Proqramme of Action for the 1980s, adopted in 1981 at the first Paris Conference, and in spite of the bold and often unpopular measures for structural readjustment that were imPlemented at a hiqh social and political cost. Thus the qap between the prosperity of the developed countries and the poverty of the vast majority of developing countries continues to widen, to such an extent that the latter have called the 1980s as a nlos t decade for developnent". International measures in support of the least-advanced countries in the 1980s were inadequate and fell short of needs. The Substantial New Programme of Action has not been properly implemented by all the donor countries, and measures taken by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) am World Bank have, in practice I been too 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the economic and social challenges faced by developing countries, particularly the least developed ones, in the 1980s. It highlights the widening gap between rich and poor countries, the impact of external factors such as economic crisis, debt, and protectionism on their development, and the inadequacy of international measures to support them. The text also touches on the theme of poverty, hunger, sickness, and illiteracy, which are all indicators of economic and social development.

**Category**
Economic development, Humanitarian aid and relief