- ????
- 中文
- English
- Fran?ais
- Русский
- Espa?ol
Benefits available to LDCs
These 45 countries benefit from exclusive international support measures (ISMs) in the areas of trade, development cooperation and participation in international organisations and processes.
Examples of such measures in the area of trade include: preferential market access for goods (such as the ) and services; special treatment under World Trade Organisation rules and certain regional trade agreements; and technical assistance and capacity building.
Other ISMs include a range of financial and technical assistance provided by multilateral and bilateral partners, such as special programmes and budget allocations at the UN, including the Technology Bank for LDCs, and the established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Other support measures help LDCs participate in international forums, such as caps and discounts on contributions to the budget of the United Nations and financial support for representatives of LDCs to travel to General Assembly and other meetings.
Another measure is the (ISP) for LDCs, which was jointly designed by the International Law Organization (IDLO) and UN-OHRLLS. The Programme provides on-demand legal and professional technical advice and assistance to LDCs on investment-related negotiations and dispute settlement and provides capacity building in these areas. A first project was concluded successfully and led to a favorable arbitration outcome for The Gambia in 2020. With currently 30 law firms on the roster, support and advice are provided pro bono or via reduced-fee assistance.
Graduation from the LDC Category
The recently adopted Doha Programme of Action set an ambitious target of 15 additional LDCs meeting the graduation criteria by 2031.
The list of countries categorized as LDCs is reviewed by the United Nations every three years based on specific procedures. For more on the graduation process see here.
There are currently 15 LDCs in various stages of the graduation process, one of which is due to graduate at the end of 2024 while another three will leave the category in 2026:
-
Sao Tome and Principe is due to graduate on 13 December 2024
-
Bangladesh is due to graduate on 24 November 2026
-
Lao PDR is due to graduate on 24 November 2026
-
Nepal is due to graduate on 24 November 2026
-
Solomon Islands is due to graduate on 13 December 2027
Other LDCs in the graduation pipeline are:
-
Cambodia (met criteria for first time 2021)
-
Comoros (met criteria for first time 2021)
-
Djibouti? (met criteria for first time 2021)
-
Senegal (met criteria for first time 2021)
-
Zambia (met criteria for first time 2021)
-
Kiribati (recommended for graduation by CDP and ECOSOC to decide in 2024)
-
Tuvalu (recommended for graduation by CDP and ECOSOC to decide in 2024)
-
Myanmar (deferred to 2024 by CDP
-
Timor-Leste? (deferred to 2024 by CDP)
-
Angola (deferred to a later date by GA)