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LDC Graduation: experiences with smooth transition strategies

MTAVARES1 — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Drupal File Upload

Author:

CDP Secretariat

Document Summary:

Graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category is an important milestone. It can also create certain challenges related to the withdrawal of international support measures that are exclusive to LDCs. Hence, when in 1991 the United Nations General Assembly introduced the concept of graduation, it also stressed the need for a “smooth transition”, which it took up in several resolutions over time. This series of briefs summarizes the smooth transition strategy experiences of some of the countries that have graduated from the LDC category since 2020 or are in the process of graduating. (Revised - August 2025)

Tags:

Graduation

Lao PDR

Bhutan

Nepal

Vanuatu

Bangladesh

Publication Date:

Thursday, 07 November 2024

CDP Secretariat

Document Topic/Theme:

LDC graduation and smooth transition

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

Tariff shocks and graduation from the least developed country category - World Economic Situation and Prospects Monthly Briefing No. 191, July 2025

MTAVARES1 — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

Shantanu Mukherjee, Matthias Bruckner, Rashmi Banga

Document Summary:

This World Economic Situation and Prospects Monthly Briefing reviews the possible impacts of the current tariff shock on LDCs, with a focus on their graduation. It first examines the role of trade in LDC graduation, followed by the importance of the United States as destination for LDC exports. It then reviews the potential impacts of the announced tariffs on LDC exports, as well as broader impacts on these economies. The Monthly Briefing concludes by reviewing policy options for a way forward.

Tags:

UNDESA

Graduation

Trade

Tariffs

Committee for Development Policy (CDP)

Publication Date:

Monday, 07 July 2025

UNDESA

Document Topic/Theme:

Trade

LDC graduation and smooth transition

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2025

Digitally empowering Least Developed Countries: 5 steps for driving impact (UNDP)

MTAVARES1 — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

Darinka Vasquez

Document Summary:

Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have distinct social, cultural and geographical contexts, but they also share common socioeconomic challenges, such as high poverty rates, limited infrastructure and capacity constraints. These issues are also compounded by structural barriers such as weak connectivity, regulatory fragmentation, and gaps in digital literacy. To fully unlock the benefits of the digital era, LDCs require strategies tailored to their national priorities with strengthened capacity-building. This will ensure that digital development creates meaningful opportunities and outcomes for all. (...) UNDP is designing and building impact-driven digital transformation strategies for LDCs with a focus on five key areas: early engagement, tailored solutions, impactful action, knowledge-sharing, and technical capacity. To strengthen technical expertise in particular, UNDP’s Digital Capacity Lab is tailored to the needs of government institutions, offering an innovative, hands-on approach to designing and rolling out citizen-centric solutions. Here we outline five steps for delivering impact.

Tags:

UNDP

Digital

Capacity-building

Publication Date:

Monday, 07 April 2025

UNDP

Document Topic/Theme:

Productive capacity, structural transformation, technology, innovation

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2025

Structural Transformation of Least Developed Countries - Recent Developments and New Challenges. Issue of Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Journal (UNESCAP)

MTAVARES1 — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Document Summary:

Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Journal, Vol. 31, No. 2, November 2024. Contains: Survey Paper - Asia-Pacific Least Developed Countries: Sustainable development challenges, emerging trends and opportunities (Nyingtob Norbu & Yusuke Tateno) Progress and challenges of structural transformation in LDCs: a note from the guest editor (Debapriya Bhattacharya) Structural transformation of LDCs: past performance and future challenges (Rolf Traeger) The need for a new approach to trade and structural transformation in LDCs (Daniel Gay) Services exports and structural transformation in Asia-Pacific LDCs: Stubborn challenges, new opportunities (Neil Balchin, Salamat Ali & Kyle de Klerk) Navigating new greening trade measures and avoiding a green squeeze: implications for LDCs (Jodie Keane) International tourism and economic vulnerability in Small Island Developing States (Janesh Sami, Neelesh Gounder, Keshmeer Makun, Ronal Chand) Data availability and challenges to achieve sustainable development goals in Bangladesh (Mohammad Minul Islam & Muhammad Saifullah Akib)

Tags:

Structural transformation

Asia-Pacific

Data

Green

Trade

Publication Date:

Wednesday, 04 December 2024

UNESCAP

Document Topic/Theme:

Productive capacity, structural transformation, technology, innovation

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

Support for Innovation, Technology Transfer, and Private Sector Engagement from the LDCF and the SCCF (GEF Secretariat)

MTAVARES1 — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

GEF Secretariat

Document Summary:

10 November 2024. "In June 2022, the LDCF/SCCF Council developed a new climate change adaptation strategy for the 2022-26 period for the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). This strategy outlines enhanced innovation, technology transfer, and private sector engagement as a key priority for both LDCF and SCCF Programming. The GEF’s focus in this area is responsive to UNFCCC guidance. The role of the LDCF and SCCF as a catalyst to enable greater private sector action and support for climate adaptation is recognized in the Long-Term Vision on Complementarity, Coherence and Collaboration between the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the GEF. This also aligns with the evaluation by the GEF Independent Evaluation Office on support to innovation. The evaluation recommends that the GEF continue to explore and partner with innovation support programs that may mobilize larger sources of risk capital, and explicitly encourage adaptive, flexible management of innovative interventions."

Tags:

Climate change

STI

Innovation

Technology Transfer

Private sector

LDCF

LDC Fund

Publication Date:

Sunday, 10 November 2024

GEF Secretariat

Document Topic/Theme:

Climate change and energy

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

Funding Adaptation Action in LDCs with Support from the LDCF (GEF Secretariat)

MTAVARES1 — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

GEF Secretariat

Document Summary:

8 November 2024. "The GEF’s adaptation support for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is delivered through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF). The LDCF is the only multilateral fund that focuses exclusively on the unique climate adaptation challenges of LDCs and is embraced by LDCs as their own. The fund has a strong track record of supporting LDCs to address adaptation priorities over more than two decades. It delivers targeted support to the world’s most vulnerable countries, and their people and ecosystems. In June 2022, the 32nd LDCF Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) Council approved a "GEF Programming Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change for the LDCF and SCCF for the GEF-8 Period of July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2026," and "Operational Improvements." The strategy facilitates transformational adaptation toward achieving the Paris Agreement’s global goal on adaptation, and wider engagement of partners based on the whole-of-society approach. The strategy adopted two financial scenarios, with a $1.0 billion floor as scenario A and $1.3 billion as scenario B."

Tags:

Climate change

Climate finance

GEF

LDCF

LDC Fund

Publication Date:

Friday, 08 November 2024

GEF Secretariat

Document Topic/Theme:

Climate change and energy

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

Supporting climate action in least developed countries (Cassie Flynn, UNDP, for SDG Action)

MTAVARES1 — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

Cassie Flynn

Document Summary:

6 November 2024. "Despite their limited means, many of the world’s poorest countries are leading the way in cutting emissions and taking bold action on adaptation. The rest of the world must step up support for LDCs – and follow their example."

Tags:

Climate change

Climate finance

Publication Date:

Wednesday, 06 November 2024

SDG Action

Document Topic/Theme:

Climate change and energy

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

IISD Policy Brief: How Can World Trade Organization Rules and Flexibilities Promote Food Security in Least Developed Countries? (Facundo Calvo)

MTAVARES1 — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

Facundo Calvo

Document Summary:

29 October 2024. "Least developed countries (LDCs) need more investment in agriculture to increase their agricultural productivity and promote their food security. Existing World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and flexibilities on agricultural domestic support can help. New WTO rules and flexibilities can also help LDCs attract more private investment to increase their agricultural productivity and promote their food security."

Tags:

Trade

WTO

IISD

Food security

Agriculture

Publication Date:

Tuesday, 29 October 2024

IISD

Document Topic/Theme:

Trade

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

Equity and Justice in Climate Finance: Climate Debt Trap Risks for Bangladesh and other LDCs (Change Initiative)

MTAVARES1 — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

Khan, M.Z.H. et al.

Document Summary:

This report analyses the rise of loan-based climate finance and its potential to create a debt trap for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), particularly focusing on Bangladesh and South Asia.

Tags:

Climate

Climate change

Climate finance

Bangladesh

Publication Date:

Sunday, 20 October 2024

Change Initiative

Document Topic/Theme:

Climate change and energy

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024

Demonstrating locally-led adaptation principles in practice (LIFE-AR)

MTAVARES1 — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Document Type:

Link to an External Document

Author:

Least Developed Countries Initiative for Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR)

Document Summary:

"While the least developed countries (LDCs) have contributed the least to climate change, they disproportionately suffer from its impacts. Adaptation is a matter of survival for many. Climate change adaptation is a multifaceted challenge that requires innovative and effective solutions. Addressing its diverse effects on ecosystems, communities, and economies is complexified by the varied nature of climate influences across regions, economies and populations. Climate adaptation solutions must therefore be anchored in local contexts, considering specific vulnerabilities and capacities. The principles of locally-led adaptation have been developed to answer this major challenge, and to empower communities to create the conditions that ensure community prioritised actions for climate resilience are implemented. By decentralising decision-making, ensuring that resources reach those who are most affected and by prioritising local knowledge and involving communities in planning and implementation, locally-led adaptation principles aim to provide a tailored, sustainable, and inclusive approach to climate change adaptation. Applying those principles and implementing them in practice have been a priority for LDCs who depend on efficient adaptation solutions, addressing both immediate concerns and longer-term impacts. These principles have also been embraced by the international development community, who recognise that the previous adaptation approaches have not met the anticipated results. At the intersection of both, the Least Developed Countries Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR) emerges as a practical pathway for testing and learning and developing innovative tactics for successful implementation."

Tags:

LIFE-AR

IIED

Climate

Climate change

Adaptation

Publication Date:

Thursday, 17 October 2024

Least Developed Countries Initiative for Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR)

Document Topic/Theme:

Climate change and energy

Document Type:

Articles, policy briefs, working papers, op-eds, project reports, blogs

Archived:

Symbol year:

2024