V. Geographic and Regional Dimensions 25. States should strengthen the social and economic infrastructure of economically disadvantaged regions where national minorities live, including through investment, and facilitate the participation of national minorities in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of plans and programmes for national and regional development which may affect them directly. National minorities may be concentrated in remote or border regions that may not be as well-developed economically as the capital or more central parts of a country. In comparison to majorities living in economic centres, they may have less access to, or be under-served by, utilities and services such as transportation, internet, telephone, water, power and sanitation.151 Development initiatives and investments may not be available in, or distributed to, all regions fairly or proportionally. Persons belonging to certain national minorities may therefore face greater difficulties in enjoying full participation in social and economic life because of the disadvantaged regions where they are concentrated. This may contribute to a continuing cycle of poverty or relative exclusion, negatively affecting their level of trust in the State and potentially making minorities more vulnerable to efforts by those seeking to instrumentalize their disadvantaged position for political or other purposes. Significant infrastructure and development investments in disadvantaged regions, such as in housing, public health and education facilities, public media broadcasting, public libraries, sports, arts and cultural installations, promotional campaigns, energy-efficiency programmes or tourism initiatives, can have direct and indirect social and economic benefits for national minorities and contribute to their effective participation in society. Investments in infrastructure and related initiatives can increase the opportunities and benefits for persons belonging to national minorities living in economically disadvantaged regions and better ensure their equal and effective participation in a society’s prosperity. This strengthens the cohesion of the State by combating marginalization, promoting integration and protecting against attempts to instrumentalize national minority groups based on actual or perceived grievances. However, such investments and initiatives need to 151 FCNM AC, Commentary on Participation, paragraph 42. Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life 55