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On 19 December 1979, the UN General Assembly, expressing deep concern at the gravity of the economic and social situation of the least developed countries, to convene a United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in order to finalize, adopt and support the Substantial New Programme of Action for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries.

The was adopted by that Conference, with the aim of transforming the economies of least developed countries and enabling them to provide minimum standards of nutrition, health, housing and education as well as job opportunities to their citizens, particularly to the rural and urban poor. The need to provide assistance to least developed countries was stated in the Substantial New Programme of Action:
 

The totally inadequate levels of living that now exist in the least developed countries are a cause for grave concern to the international community. The means for overcoming acute hunger and malnutrition, disease, illiteracy and all other manifestations of poverty should be made available to these countries. The least developed countries have primary responsibility for their over-all development, and the domestic policies they pursue will be of critical importance for the success of their development efforts. However, the international community, in particular the developed countries and relevant international organizations, as well as the developing countries in a position to do so and non-governmental organizations, will have to provide substantial assistance to these countries to overcome their poverty.