Can nanotechnology—which is often presented as a solution to many of the problems encountered in developing countries—contribute to attain certain Millennium Development Goals? These emerging technologies make it possible to manufacture objects and/or develop procedures on the scale of the nanometer—infinitely small, one billionth of a meter—where new, interesting properties appear and show promise for applications in various fields: energy production and storage, agricultural productivity, water purification, de-pollution, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, etc. However, conditions are not yet in place to ensure that developing countries, and in particular Least Developed Countries (LDCs), benefit fairly and without risk from the potential progress in nanotechnology.
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