World Meteorological Organization Working together in weather, climate and water

1. WMO World Meteorological OrganizationWorking together in weather, climate and water Sixteenth Congress Geneva, 16 May – 3 June 2011 Doc 6.3 – WMO Programme for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Committee B, Agenda Item 6.3 WMO www.wmo.int

2. OUTLINE WMO • The LDC category • Review of Brussels Programme of Action for the LDCs 2001-10 and implementation of WMO LDC Programme • Fourth United Nations Conference on the LDCs • Istanbul Programme of Action for the LDCs 2011-20 • Continuation of the WMO Programme for the LDCs WMO 2

3. The LDC category WMO • Sub-set of DEVELOPING COUNTRIES categorized as the • Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Specific criteria (UN) • 25 LDCs (1971) – 50 (2007) – 48 LDCs (2011) • RA I: 33 RA II: 8 RA IV: 1 RA V: 6 • Graduation from the LDC group (Triennial review) • Over 4 decades, only 3 countries were ever able to graduate (Botswana, Cape Verde and the Maldives) 3

4. LDC category (cont) WMO • Poorest, weakest, most vulnerable • (natural disasters, climate change) • and least secure • 12% of global population but • account for only 1% of world • exports and less 2% of global • direct investment. • The international community • agreed to extend special attention • and support measures to LDCs • beyond those available to • other developing countries • - Successive 10-year Programmes of Action for LDCs 4

5. Programme of Action for LDCs for the Decade 2001-2010 (BPoA) Millennium Declaration (2000) Internationally Agreed Development Goals Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Brussels Programme of Action for LDCs adopted by Third UN Conference on LDCs (May 2001) : Accelerate sustained economic growth Promote sustainable development Way for LDCs to achieve MDGs Seven interlinked commitments of LDCs and their Development Partners including UN system

6. Implementation of WMO Programme for LDCs • LDCs participation to special meetings/training/events • High priority and special attention to LDCs by Scientific and Technical Programmes towards strengthening the capabilities of NMHSs to fulfil their mandates. (Fellowships, expert services, equipment).

7. SPECIFIC ADDED-VALUE INITIATIVES

8. Review of the implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action 2001-2010 • Some progress made towards reaching the MDGs • BPoA has had a positive role to play in the dev. process of the LDCs • Specific goals and action of BPoA have not been fully achieved • Transformation limited and vulnerability to external shocks has not been reduced • Important lessons learnt from the reviews at national, regional and global levels • Renewed and strengthened partnership for development

9. Fourth UN Conference on LDCs • Held in Istanbul, Turkey, 9-13 May 2011 • Extensive Preparatory Process at national, regional and global levels • WMO active participation as requested by EC and Cg • Inter-Agency consultations • Regional Review • Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee • Pre-conference event (UNFCCC Group) • Surveys and Reports • SG-WMO attendance, statement and participation in special events

10. Fourth UN Conference on LDCs (cont) • Major international conference dealing with development issues • 10,000 participants (intergovernmental, parlementary, civil society and private sector tracks) • 36 Head of States and Government, 90 Ministers • Istanbul Declaration « Renewed and Strengthened Global Partnership for the Development of LDC » • New Programme of Action for the LDCs

11. Fourth UN Conference on LDCs (cont) WMO • « Investing in LDCs is an opportunity for all » • UNSG (Ban Ki-Moon) • - Solidarity and partnership with LDCs is not only a moral and ethical imperative, but also an economic and political one • Increasing challenges posed by climate change, natural disasters and the loss of biodiversity • South-South cooperation 11

12. Istanbul Programme of Action for LDCs for the Decade 2011-2020 • Overarching goal: To overcome the structural challenges faced by the LDCs in order to ereadicate poverty, achieve internationally agreed development goals and enable graduation from the LDC category • Among the specific objectives: Reduce the vulnerability of least developed countries to economic, natural and environmental shocks and disasters, as well as climate change, and enhance their ability to meet these and other challenges through strengthening their resilience;

13. Priority areas for action • Productive capacity ▪ Infrastructure ▪ Energy ▪ Science, technology and innovation ▪ Private sector development • Agriculture, food security and rural development • Trade • Commodities

14. Priority areas for action (cont) • Human and social development ▪ Education and training ▪ Population and primary health ▪ Youth development ▪ Shelter ▪Water and sanitation ▪ Gender equality and empowerment of women ▪ Social protection

15. Priority areas for action (cont) • Multiple crises and other emerging challenges ▪ Economic shocks ▪ Climate change and environmental sustainability ▪ Disaster risk reduction

16. Priority areas for action (cont) Mobilizing financial resources for development and capacity-building • Domestic resource mobilization • Official development assistance • External debt • Foreign direct investment • Remittances • Good governance at all levels

17. Continuation of WMO Programme for the LDCs • Align to the new Istanbul Program of Action: • change of mind-set of LDCs and partners • investing in weather, climate and water related services is an additional tool for the development of LDCs • Many references of direct interest to WMO and NMHSs, in particular, under climate change and environmental sustainability challenge • – Action required by development partners: « Support enhancing the capacity of meteorological and hydrological services of least developed countries »

18. Continuation of WMO Programme for the LDCs (cont) • Decisions • Approve Draft Resolution 6.3/1 (cg-XVI) to continue the WMO Programme for the LDCs during the 16 th Financial Period • EC to monitor • SG to report to next Congress Programme description in Appendix C

19. THANK YOU

20. LIST OF THE 48 LDCS *Also a SID