5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) - Least Developed Countries

Young People’s Potential, the Key to Africa’s Sustainable Development

HSASS — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 17:51:27 +0000

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Youth Envoy discusses youth participation in the implementation of the SDGs with Zambian young leaders

Jason J Mulikita, �山��Youth Envoy

Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. Such a high number of young people is an opportunity for the continent’s growth – but only if these new generations are fully empowered to realise their best potential. It is especially important that young people are included in decision making and given appropriate opportunities for work and to innovate.

Involving young people in politics and society is not merely a question of inclusion, but one that is vital for economic growth, innovation, peace and security.

The Africa Regional Review – the regional preparatory meeting for LDC5 held virtually in Malawi this week – has ensured a seat at the table for young people.

Young speakers from civil society are speaking alongisde ministers and other leaders, and the agenda features a dedicated event on young people’s role in achieving sustainable development.

Crucially the outcome document of the Review will also include dedicated recommendations and priorities from young people.

“It is important that youth is involved in decision making. It is important that we as young people are recognised as equal partners and as right holders – Not only as victims”, said Nickson Kasolene, the youth and civil society representative of the Coordination Meeting of Youth Organisations (ICMYO).

Having a young population brings many opportunities for economic growth and innovation, if these opportunities can be recognised and utilised.

“Engage youth, create a space for them and give them a seat at the table,” Nickson told us in an interview. "Don’t just offer this seat passively, but empower young people to actually use it. Young people have potential and young people have collective power, with the guidance of the government they can use that power.”

In many countries outside of Africa, countries with ageing populations are facing high healthcare costs and a shortage of skilled labour. In Africa, young people face underemployment and lack of opportunities – or, without access to the internet, the lack of information about any opportunities.

Young people are contributing daily to the benefit of their communities and nations across Africa. From providing support to the elderly, to advocating for justice and equality, young people have proven their centrality to building and sustaining healthy communities.

Nickson, who is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, notes that young people have the possibility to drive peace in areas that are already affected by conflict: “Young people are so strong and think, ‘if we decide to do something we will action immediately’”.

What motivates Nickson in engaging fellow young people is what he refers to as “the duty of development” to achieve better living conditions.

He concludes, “Being involved makes you feel concerned about the problems in the community – and pushes you to have a positive social impact.”

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LDC5 Preparations Move up a Gear

HSASS — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 21:34:38 +0000

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The driver of this taxi-moto pauses on a country road in Athiémé

World Bank

The most ambitious agenda possible for the world’s most vulnerable states will be agreed at the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar in January 2022.

Known as LDC5, the meeting will be a major landmark in the efforts of LDCs and their partners to overcome core challenges, including the COVID crisis.

Decisions made by world leaders at LDC5 will have the potential to transform the lives of no less than a billion of the world’s most vulnerable people.

High Stakes

With the COVID crisis still in full flame, climate change untamed and a new economic and debt crisis rolling around the world, the stakes for LDC5 could not be higher. And so with a year to go, the preparatory process is already well underway.

The groundwork for LDC5 began in 2019, with each LDC conducting reviews of their development gains. For more information on national preparations see here. In 2020, OHRLLS co-hosted a series of global conversations relevant to LDCs on topics such as the future of work and post-pandemic recovery planning.

This spring, two regional review meetings will take place in collaboration with the UN’s Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

The first meeting for African LDCs and Haiti is co-hosted by the Government of the Republic of Malawi and takes place from 22-26 February.

Africa Regional Review

With 33 of the 46 LDCs in Africa, the Africa Regional Review will analyse progress made over the last decade and identify the main issues preventing further sustainable development.

To tackle these issues, the meeting will also discuss how to strengthen support provided to the LDCs by the international community to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The preparation process is based on a bottom-up approach that ensures the needs of LDCs are clarified and heard. Inputs and ideas will also be heard from other groups including the private sector, academia, youth, civil society and parliamentarians.

African Challenges

The Least Developed Countries of Africa face multiple challenges. Weak economies and low exports compound other challenges like conflict, climate change and COVID-19.

Before COVID-19, African LDCs and Haiti had been making progress in implementing the Istanbul Programme of Action from 2011, though from very low baselines and with large variations across the 34 countries.

Both man-made and natural crises remain prevalent and risk derailing progress. High and recently increasing poverty rates, inequality, civil strife and political instability are widespread.

A high rate of urbanisation among African LDCs makes cities and urban centres increasingly vulnerable to the impact of disasters. Without strong and purposeful governance that aspires towards structural transformation and sustainable development, economic and social outcomes in these LDCs will remain weak.

This is why the stakes are so high for LDC5.

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Vanuatu Graduates from Least Developed Country Status

HSASS — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 21:36:00 +0000

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In all its cultural vividness, performers from Futuna island, Vanuatu, celebrate their traditional dance.

Graham Crumb / DFAT

NEW YORK 4 December 2020 – The small island nation of Vanuatu is celebrating today as it is officially no longer classified as one of the world’s least developed countries, or LDCs.

Despite the compounding threats of COVID-19, natural disasters and climate change, the Vanuatu government sees graduation as a positive sign that the country is increasingly able to build resilience and meet its citizens’ needs.

Vanuatu is the sixth country to graduate out of the LDC category, an achievement that the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, called “historic” and the result of years of effort resulting in hard-won sustainable development gains.

In a video address to the people of Vanuatu, Mr. Guterres said:

“It is admirable that Vanuatu’s graduation will move forward despite the setbacks it has suffered from the ever-worsening impacts of climate change and natural disasters, and the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, on tourism, trade and remittances.“

He continued,

“Let me assure you of my full and undivided support to weather these challenging times, to combat climate change and to defeat the pandemic and recover better from its impacts.”

Repeated natural disasters, including Cyclones Pam and Harold, and recent volcanic eruptions, have decimated food stocks and forced mass displacement in Vanuatu over the last five years.

And while Vanuatu only recorded its first COVID-19 case in November - much later than the rest of the world - the small island state has still been seriously impacted by the pandemic, especially by the collapse in tourism from nearby countries like Australia and New Zealand.

Congratulating the people of Vanuatu, Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, United Nations High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, called upon the international community to provide their full support to Vanuatu after graduation:

"The people of Vanuatu have always been resilient, and graduation is a sign that their economy is increasingly so too. Graduation is a major achievement but also a major challenge. Development and trading partners, and the entire �山��system, must commit to providing their full support to ensure a smooth and sustainable transition for Vanuatu.”

H.E. Mr. Odo Tevi, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Vanuatu to the United Nations, expressed confidence in his country’s ability to weather the storm:

"Graduation shows the world Vanuatu’s potential and its ability to achieve its development goals and visions. We will adopt a route of sustainable, resilient and inclusive development that protects our serene ecology and ensures that our children grow up with a new world of opportunities, and a safe and healthy environment.”

46 countries remain classified as least developed, with eleven on, or about to join, the path to graduation. This reflects significant progress over the past number of years. Angola is due to graduate early in 2021, followed by Bhutan in 2023 and São Tomé and Príncipe and the Solomon Islands the following year.

Graduation from the category of Least Developed Countries continues to be a high-priority development objective for LDCs, development partners and multilateral organisations. But it brings important challenges. Ensuring smooth graduation requires transitioning away from LDC-specific support measures, including preferential market access for exports and access to some concessional financing instruments.

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The Future of Work in Least Developed Countries

HSASS — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:14:00 +0000

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During the COVID period, merchants use a protective mask to sell their goods in Madagascar.

E. Raboanaly/ILO

The COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging labour markets around the world. Global trends such as globalisation, demographic shifts, climate change and technology have already brought profound shifts to the world of work, and the pandemic has accelerated changes.

Some advanced economies have been able to respond rapidly to adjust, and even take advantage, of these shifts. For some, the pandemic has generated not only new challenges but new opportunities for job creation. These countries stand ready to benefit from the spread of remote working arrangements, increasing automation and changes in international manufacturing.

But, as with many issues, the Least Developed Countries have struggled most to overcome deep-rooted and pre-existing vulnerabilities, and risk being left even further behind. LDCs often have limited cash to respond to crises, less and poorer technology available to work with and degraded environments. Their growing youth populations must be also absorbed by already fragile labour markets.

As we enter the last ten years of the 2030 Agenda and begin preparations for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the LDCs (LDC5), where a new Programme of Action for LDCs will be agreed, OHRLLS and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) held a global event on November 19, 2020 to reflect on the actions required at national and international levels to overcome these vulnerabilities and achieve a promising future of work in the LDCs.

The event brought together governments, policymakers, researchers and others to hear about the impact of COVID-19 on labour markets in LDCs and propose policy frameworks to foster recovery and build future resilience. The ILO presented the alarming impact of the effect of COVID-19 on the labour market in LDCs and suggested policy options to consider as the world prepares for LDC5.

Laying out the situation on the ground, H.E Perks Ligoya, Permanent Representative of Malawi to the United Nations and Chair of the LDC Group, said that, LDCs have suffered the collapse of exports and tourism resulting in “a perfect tsunami of unemployment”. To compound the problem, migrant workers from LDCs are also losing their jobs, resulting in a huge loss of remittances. The end result, he said, is an increase in debt burdens and “the greatest economic crisis in decades”.

Calling for investment in digital connectivity as a vital lifeline in connecting economies, Ambassador Ligoya also called for investment in “decent work” and for the IMF and other Multilateral Development Banks to meet historical commitments and cancel all debts.

The High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, called for the issue of employment to be reflected at the heart of the next programme of action for LDCs. “Generating decent jobs at a time where the future of work is shifting will be critical to the ability of the LDCs to achieve an inclusive and sustainable development in the decade to come,” she said.

Moussa Oumarou, Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships at ILO, called for the international community to advance opportunities for decent work that “provides just remuneration, ensures basic rights at work, provides adequate social protection, and the capacity to negotiate and develop work-related policies through social dialogue.”

He said that the right mix of policies to create a conducive environment for people to work themselves out of poverty is the most decent and sustainable way to avoid the deep scars on jobs and incomes resulting from the pandemic.

Speaking on behalf of the Host Country of the LDC5 Conference, HE Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, said that she hoped the Conference "builds a vision to help the 880m people in LDCs on a path to sustainable development” and delivers a “promising a future of work”.

She added that Qatar looks forward to working closely with OHRLLS and the ILO to further strengthen cooperation in 2021 as the world prepares for LDC5.

Front Page Article:

Twelve Least Developed Countries on Path to Graduation Reflects Significant Development Progress – Despite Ongoing Setbacks

HSASS — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 19:24:00 +0000

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Third grade students during class at Norsup Primary School. AusAID supports education projects on Malekula Island.

Connor Ashleigh / AusAID

NEW YORK 12 October 2020 – The Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) set an ambitious goal to see half of the LDCs graduate from the category during its period of implementation of 2011-2020. Though that target has not been met, progress made by several LDCs has led to a record number meeting the graduation criteria.

The United Nations Committee for Development Policy (CDP) reviews the Least Developed Country (LDC) Category every three years to monitor member countries’ progress against measurements of income, human assets and vulnerability.

At present,twelve countries out of 47 are on, or about to join, the path to graduation.This is a positive development reflecting significant progress in the past number of years, especially when compared to previous decades.

Graduation from the LDC category marks an important milestone in the development path of each LDC. However, the phasing-out of international support measures associated with LDC status could present challenges for graduating countries in their efforts to further integrate into the global economy.

This December, Vanuatu will graduate, followed by Angola in early 2021. Bhutan is scheduled to graduate in 2023 and São Tomé and Príncipe and the Solomon Islands the following year.

In February 2021, the CDP is expected to hold its triennial review of the LDC category. Lao PDR, Bangladesh and Myanmar, depending on their performance on the LDC criteria and other aspects of their development trends, could be recommended for graduation.

The potential eligibility of Nepal, Timor-Leste, Kiribati and Tuvalu for graduation will also be reconsidered in 2021.

However, the 2021 triennial review will be held against the backdrop of one of the worse global multifaceted crises in the history of the United Nations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wrought devastating social and economic consequences, including on global trade and tourism, key sectors for many LDC economies. It is now threatening to roll back progress made by a growing number of LDCs on the path to graduation. 

Strong support from development and trading partners has never been more urgently needed.

For graduating LDCs, the commitment to recover and Build Back Better along a sustainable graduation path has been remarkable. �山��System support of these efforts, on the ground and at Headquarter level, has been a lifeline for many.

Graduation from the category continues to be a high-priority development objective for LDCs but it brings important challenges.

Ensuring a smooth graduation requires appropriate management of a transition away from LDC-specific support measures, including preferential market access for exports and access to some concessional financing instruments.

Graduating countries must also juggle other development objectives, including economic diversification, enhanced international value chain participation, and making productivity improvements. The impact of COVID-19 has added another layer of complexity to the task.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on graduation support established by OHRLLS in 2017 brings all entities involved, �山��and otherwise, to the same table. Together, they formulate a common programme of assistance to help smoothen transitions and better coordinate the �山��System-wide support for graduation.

For example, the IATF has been collaborating with the United Nations Resident Coordinators for Lao PDR, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and São Tomé and Príncipe to funnel support from all parts of the international system in the wake of COVID-19.

In September, the first in a series of virtual sessions on graduation implications for Lao PDR was held in collaboration with the government , the UN Resident Coordinator and the Task Force, represented by OHRLLS, DESA, UNCTAD and ESCAP.

More virtual sessions are planned to look at the trade and development finance implications of graduation, helping the Lao PDR prepare their own transition strategy as part of its national development plan.

In October and November, the Task Force will virtually host �山��Resident Coordinators for Solomon Islands and São Tomé and Príncipe to help guide each country’s recovery and graduation plans.

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