the import value index for the least developed countries, declined by more than one fourth in 1980. We also note that the aid tarqet of 0.09 per cent of donors' qross national product fell far short of the 0.15 per cent foreseen in the Substantial New Programme of Action. In so~ cases the ratio of official development assistance to qross national product for major Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors to the least developed countries did not reqister anv appreciable improvement. JVM/11 A/S-18/PV •. 8 46 (Mr. Wakil, Afghanistan) By all standards the growth of official development assistance flows to the least develoPed countries throughout the 1980s has been extremely inadequate and has not correspOnded to the production incorporated in the Substantial New Programme of Action. I would like to underscore the p:irticular impartance for the least developed countries of the establishment during the 1980s of new mechanisms, such as the International Monetary Fund 9s Structural Adjustment Facility and its enhanced facilities and the World Bank Special Facili tv for Sub-Saharan Africa. However, access by many least developed countries to these facilities remains restricted. The Republic of Afghanistan, as a land-locked country, supPOrts free ac:cessibili tv to the sea and free transit, as enshrined in article 125 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the United Nations Convention on Transit Trade of the Land-Locked Countries. It believes that this goal could be ac:hieved through attracting international assistance. The RePublic of Afghanistan believes that the creation and observance of a rational and effective balance between the principles of self-reliance and mutual reliance in the sPhere of international economic co-operation can guarantee the national sovereignty of countries and be the pillar of effective oo-oPeration, based oo mutual interest in the framework of the international economy. Such co-operation presupposes that the developed countries take into account 
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the flow of official development assistance (ODA) to least developed countries, highlighting the inadequacy of ODA growth during the 1980s and the need for new mechanisms to improve access to funding. The text also touches on the importance of international economic cooperation, national sovereignty, and the balance between self-reliance and mutual reliance.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade