industrial planning, boat building, repair and maintenance, water pumps, small hydro-power plants, pharmaceutical products, small- and medium-scale industries etc. He also mentioned specific examples of UNIDO's assistance to some of the IDCs such as Sao Tome and Principe, Cape Verde, Seychelles, Tonga, Kiribati, Fiji, Montserrat and Trinidad and Tobago. A/CONF.147/5 TD/B/AC.46/4 page 15 Chapter II CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 38. The meeting recalled that in the declaration of the eighteenth special session of the General Assembly, adopted by consensus, it was noted that substantial concessional resources will be called for to enable developing countries, especially the least developed countries (LDCs), to cope with the challenges of the 1990s. In this context, it was agreed that the special development problems and needs of island developing countries (IDCs) should also be addressed. 39. IDCs, a number of which are LDCs, can experience specific problems and thus have special needs. IDCs suffer handicaps arising from the interplay of such factors as their smallness, remoteness, geographical dispersion, vulnerability to natural disasters, the fragility of their ecosystems, constraints in transport and communications, great distances from market centres, a highly limited internal market, lack of natural resources, weak indigenous technological capacity, the acute problem of obtaining fresh water supplies, heavy dependence on imports and a small number of commodities, depletion of non-renewable resources, migration, particularly of personnel with high-level skills, shortage of administrative personnel and heavy financial burdens. 40. A number of common features, whether constituting problems or opportunities, are intrinsic to many IDCs. These problems require a strengthened partnership between the IDCs concerned and the international donor community. International support remains essential in order that those countries can pursue opportunities for sustainable economic development. This will require the adoption of suitable policies at the national level, and 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the challenges and opportunities faced by island developing countries (IDCs) in terms of their economic development, with specific examples of industries and sectors that require assistance. It also highlights the unique problems and needs of IDCs, including their vulnerability to natural disasters, limited natural resources, and dependence on imports. The text emphasizes the importance of international support and strengthened partnerships between IDCs and the donor community to achieve sustainable economic development.

**Category**
Economic development, Industry