Poor countries will have to grow faster than China during its boom years if they’re to achieve ambitious development targets such as ending extreme poverty within a generation, the UN said Monday.

The warning comes from the UN trade and development agency UNCTAD, which also insisted that developing countries face a funding gap of USD $2.5 trillion per year if they are to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNCTAD Secretary-General Dr Mukhisa Kituyi said that while China’s recent strong economic growth had done much to reduce poverty, it had not been enough to eradicate it.

That shows that there are “no shortcuts” to boosting competitiveness, Dr Kituyi told Daniel Johnson, adding that poorer countries must embrace technology and innovation if they’re to make real progress on long-term development goals.

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