all countries so diversely that it is impossible to attribute recession to poor political conditions or unforeseeable setbacks in certain cases. Recession in the developing countries is in our view indisputably linked to an unfavourable international economic environment. The situation varies from one category of country to another. For the least developed countries, the 1980:; may be regarded as a lost decade for development. Most of them had to cut their imports, abandon national development proqrammes and enqage in adjustment forced upon them by austerity. The resultant drop in investments and the deterioration of production capacity and infrastructure hindered our countries' chance to return to the road of qrowth and development, which is the way to meet the basic requirements of our peoples. Since my country, the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros, belongs to the category of least developed countries, it will readily be understood why my remarks will focus on the problems of the 42 countries in that group. The economic and social deterioration of that category of countries, and the major structural handicaps they have had to face, have considerably reduced their ability to overcome the negative effects of external factors. For example, the reduction in our export earnings can be explained, on the one hand, by the disastrous fall in commodity prices and, on the other, by the accumulation of external debt servicinq obligations and a drop in official development assistance flows. We must note with deep regret that the substantial new programme of action for the 1980s for the least developed countries, unanimously adopted by the United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Paris in 1981, and the commitments entered into for official development assistance in this connection, have not been carried out. RH/19 A/S-18/PV. 4 88 (Mr. Maecha, Comoros) 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the economic challenges faced by least developed countries, specifically the impact of external factors such as international economic environment, commodity prices, and debt on their ability to achieve development. The speaker highlights the need for international cooperation and commitment to official development assistance to overcome these challenges. The text does not mention natural resources, environment, agriculture, forestry, fishing, health, education, employment, humanitarian aid, or culture, but rather focuses on economic development and international trade.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade