Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

1. Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (2011-2020) and its Linkage with the Post-2015 Development Framework Southeast, East, Northeast Asia and the Pacific Parliamentarian and CSO Forum on MDG Acceleration and the Post 2015 Development Agenda 20-21 November 2012

2. Least Developed Countries (LDCs) • The LDCs with more than 900 million people represent the poorest and weakest segment of the international community accounting less than 2 % of world GDP. • The category of ‘Least Developed Country’ was originally created by the UN in 1971 following discussions in UNCTAD during the 1960s about the plight of the poorest developing countries. • The created LDC category in 1971 consisted of 24 countries. • Forty-eight countries are currently designated by the United Nations as “least developed countries” (LDCs).

3. Three Criteria for the Identification of LDCs (Committee for Development Policy (CDP) 2012) • Low-income criterion: • based on a three-year average estimate of GNI per capita, based on the World Bank Atlas method • Under $992 for inclusion, above $ 1,190 for graduation.

4. 2. Human Assets Weakness criterion • Human Assets Index (HAI) based on indicators of: (a) nutrition: percentage of population undernourished; (b) health: mortality rate for children aged five years or under; (c) education: the gross secondary school enrolment ratio; and (d) adult literacy rate. • The threshold for inclusion is HAI of 60 or less and the threshold for graduation is HAI of 66 or more.

5. 3. Economic Vulnerability Criterion • Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI) based on indicators of: (a) population size; (b) remoteness; (c) merchandise export concentration; (d) share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in GDP; (e) share of population living in low elevated coastal zones; (f) instability of exports of goods and services; (g) victims of natural disasters; and (h) instability of agricultural production. • The threshold for inclusion is EVI of 36 or more and the threshold of graduation is EVI of 32 or less.

6. Eligibility for Graduating From the LDC Category

7. Inclusion and Graduation(CDP 2012 triennial review ) • The Republic of South Sudan to be included in the list of LDCs, subject to the country’s agreement. • Vanuatu and Tuvalu found eligible for graduation for the third consecutive time and recommended for graduation from the list. • Kiribati eligible for graduation for the first time as it meets the GNI per capita and HAI criteria. • Angola found eligible for graduation for the first time, as it meets the ‘income only’ criterion.

8. Countries that have Graduated from the LDC Category Only three countries have graduated • Botswana • Cape Verde • Maldives.

9. Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA) for the LDCs (2011-20) • The Fourth UN Conference on the LDCs, held in Istanbul, Turkey (9-13 May 2011), adopted the Istanbul Programmeof Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020. • The mid-term review of the IPoA is scheduled for 2015.

10. Overarching Goals of the IPoA

11. Five Objectives of the IPoA

12. IPoA: Eight Priority Areas

13. IPoA: Eight Guiding Principles

14. IPoA: Action Commitment • LDC Member States to undertake 126 Actions • Development Partners to undertake 102 Actions • 16 actions to be undertaken jointly

15. Review of the IPoA • The First progress report of the UNCTAD Secretariat on UNCTAD’s contribution to the implementation of the PoA for the LDCs for the Decade 2011-2020, releasedon 9 July 2012 • Report pessimistic on achieving the objective of enabling half of the LDCs to graduate from the category by 2020.

16. Eradicating Extreme Poverty and Hunger • Poverty reduction is, however, particularly weak and most LDCs are off track to meet most human development MDGs. • Poverty in African LDCs stands at 59 % and 41 % in Asian LDCs ($ 1.25/day). • 80 % population in African LDCs and 72 % in Asian LDCs live below $ 2/Day poverty Line • 1 billion people will still be living on less than $1.25 a day in 2015. • Poverty remains widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and in Southern Asia.

17. Achieving Universal Primary Education the net enrolment rate for children of primary school age in the developing region rose from 82 to 90 per cent between 1999 and 2010 Net Enrollment Source: Progress for children – Achieving the MDGs with Equity, 2010

18. In 2010, 61 million children of primary school age were out of school. More than half of them (33 million) were in sub-Saharan Africa and a further one fifth (13 million) in Southern Asia.

19. Child and Maternal Mortality Rates • Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania have achieved reductions in child mortality rate of only around 30 per cent. • In Southern Asia decline in the child mortality rate is 44 per cent • Nearly 40% of young child deaths still occur in LDCs. • Achievements insufficient to reach the two-third reduction by 2015.

20. Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR, maternal deaths per 100 000 live births), 2010 Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2010, WHO, 2012

21. Climate Change most pressing threat to LDCs • The cumulative share of the LDCs in greenhouse gas emission is half of 1 per cent of the global total. • LDCs hardest hit by the adverse effects of climate change despite being the least contributor

22. Climate Change and Food Insecurity

23. THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE WILL AFFECT THE ABILITY OF LDCs TO ACHIEVE BROADER DEVELOPMENT GOALS. CLIMATE CHANGE REFUGEES IS A CHALLENGE ON THE INCREASE!

24. Weak Partnership for Development • The MDG Gap Task Force report 2012 shows the gap in implementation of goal 8 as regard to aid, trade, debt and technology • In Istanbul, donor countries have re-committed themselves to ODA target of 0.15 –0.20 per cent by 2015. • The DAC donors reduced bilateral aid to LDCs by 2 per cent in real terms in 2011, while bilateral aid to sub-Saharan Africa fell by almost 1 per cent in 2011. MDGs Report 2012

25. ODA to LDCs Only Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Sweden, Ireland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Finland, and Canada have met ODA Target of 0.15 % to LDCs!

26. The Issue of Debt and LDCs • The 2010 outcome document of the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals and the 2011 Istanbul Plan of Action for the LDCs reiterated the importance of ensuring long-term debt sustainability. • 10 LDCs were in a situation of high debt distress and 10 at high risk of debt distress in 2010 (UNCTAD 2010, 2011) • A combination of lower growth rates and higher interest rates in the future could worsen the debt sustainability in many other LDCs.

27. Vision for the Post-2015 Development Framework • Progressive realisation of the rights of the poorest and most marginalised and vulnerable peoples in particular, materialises based on the universal human rights framework! • Basic rights to food, water, housing, education, health, livelihoods, social security, peaceful co-existence must be ensured to achieve a life of dignity and freedom from want and fear!

28. Non-negotiable for the Post-2015 Framework URGENT, RADICAL SHIFT from the existing faulty paradigm of mere economic growth accompanied by unsustainable production as well as consumption to one which ensures the we ll-being of both, the peoples and the planet! The dominant development model has only produced further poverty, inequality, injustices, discrimination, marginalisation and conflict! NO REPACKAGED SAME OLD FRAMEWORK

29. The Post-2015 Framework MUST: • Be led and owned by the peoples in the global South, in particular, ensuring democratic development. • Keep the most poorest and vulnerable LDCs at the centre stage of the development agenda. • Ensure environmental sustainability as one of the key guiding principles, taking it as an urgency! • Focus on the “means” rather than the “ends” which is a key shortfall of the MDGs. • Ensure political will and mutual accountability of governments.