E/CN.4/1999/48 page 19 with access to land and appropriate technology. It also requires strong support from the public sector. In addition, lack of access to land is the most critical single cause of rural poverty, which dominates the poverty situation in some of the lowest-income countries. Yet, few countries have substantial land reform programmes (ibid., para. 16). 80. In conclusion, if microcredit is to play a strong role in development, it has to be perceived as part of a comprehensive programme of support to the small enterprise sector. This would entail Governments of developing countries formulating plans and programmes to support small enterprises in general, of which micro-credit should be an integral part (ibid., para. 32). 81. Finally, the United Nations is encouraging States to reduce excessive military expenditures on and investments in arms production and acquisition, in order to increase resources for social and economic development, in particular to poverty eradication programmes in developing countries, particularly African countries and the least developed countries. Serving a global community of 185 States and some 6 billion people, the United Nations has $4.6 billion a year to spend on economic and social development. This is the equivalent of 80 cents per human being, compared with the $134 a person spent annually on arms and the military. 3 III. ACTION AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL 82. All Governments shall formulate integrated poverty eradication strategies and policies and implement national poverty eradication plans or programmes in a participatory manner, to address the structural causes of poverty, encompassing action at local, national, subregional, regional and international levels. Those plans should establish, within each national context, strategies and affordable time-bound goals and targets for the substantial reduction of overall poverty and the eradication of absolute poverty. 83. The United Nations Consultative Committee on Programme and Operational Questions (CCPOQ) adopted in September 1998 a matrix entitled “Freedom from Poverty: Actions and Partnerships” for inclusion in its Operational Activities Reference Manual. The matrix provides a common United Nations approach to poverty eradication and people-centred sustainable development. In particular, the following action areas are suggested: (a) Creating a broad enabling environment to combat poverty and promote pro-poor economic growth (through both internal and external measures); (b) Investing in and maintaining needed physical infrastructure, including infrastructure targeted for low-income communities; (c) Promoting access to basic social services for all, including health, reproductive health and family planing services, education and sanitation, adopting special measures to reach women and children; (d) Securing sustainable livelihoods for the poor, including access to productive assets such as credit;