Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020

E/RES/2019/3No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the Economic and Social Council, under agenda item 11bReview and coordination of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020, published in 2019.

What other versions does this mandate have?

14 versions · 2003–2022

This is an older version — the most recent is E/RES/2022/19

2022E/RES/2022/19Programme of action for the least developed countries for the decade 2022-2031LatestCompare with previous version
2021E/RES/2021/19Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020Compare with previous version
2020E/RES/2020/16Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020Compare with previous version
2019E/RES/2019/3Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020Compare with previous version
2018E/RES/2018/26Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020Compare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

5 topics

Development Trends Economic Development Graduation Least Developed Countries Programme Implementation

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

1 report of the Secretary-General submitted under this mandate, 2020.

2020A/75/72Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020 report of the Secretary-General

Identified automatically from the metadata in each report’s UN Digital Library catalogue record.

What does this mandate say?

19 operative paragraphs

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011−2020;

Notes with concern that, with only one and a half years left to implement the Istanbul Programme of Action,2 significant gaps persist between the goals and targets set out therein and the achievements made on the ground, and in this regard calls upon the least developed countries, their development partners, the United Nations system and all other actors to further intensify their efforts to fully and effectively implement, in a coordinated, coherent and expeditious manner, the commitments that have been made in the Programme of Action in its eight priority areas, namely, (a) productive capacity, (b) agriculture, food security and rural development, (c) trade, (d) commodities, (e) human and social development, (f) multiple crises and other emerging challenges, (g) mobilizing financial resources for development and capacity-building and (h) good governance at all levels;

Invites the private sector, civil society and foundations to contribute to the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action in their respective areas of competence in line with the national priorities of the least developed countries;

Welcomes the operationalization of the Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries in Turkey, by which the first Sustainable Development Goal target, target 17.8, has been achieved, and invites Member States, as well as international organizations, foundations and the private sector, to provide voluntary financial contributions and technical assistance to ensure the full and effective implementation of its work programme;

Reaffirms that the least developed countries, as the most vulnerable group of countries, need enhanced global support to overcome the structural challenges they face in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,3 and in this regard calls upon the international community to prioritize and strengthen support from all sources to facilitate the coordinated implementation and coherent follow-up to and monitoring of the Istanbul Programme of Action, the 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development4 in the least developed countries;

Recognizes that significant additional domestic public resources, including at the subnational level, supplemented by international assistance as appropriate, will be critical to realizing sustainable development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda acknowledge the centrality of domestic resource mobilization underscored by the principle of national ownership, also recognizes that, while the least developed countries have made considerable efforts to mobilize domestic resources and attract private investment, further progress is needed, and underlines the importance of strengthening domestic enabling environments, including the rule of law and combating corruption at all levels and in all its forms;

Also recognizes that private business activity, investment and innovation are major drivers of productivity, inclusive economic growth and job creation, and that private international capital flows, in particular foreign direct investment, along with a stable international financial system, are vital complements to national development efforts;

Expresses its concern that, while the least developed countries are in need of increased global support, bilateral official development assistance to the least developed countries declined by 3.0 per cent in real terms in 2018 compared with 2017, and, expressing its appreciation to those few countries that have met or surpassed their commitments to 0.7 per cent of gross national income for official development assistance to developing countries and the target of 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of gross national income for official development assistance to the least developed countries, calls upon official development assistance providers to fulfil their respective official development assistance commitments to the least developed countries, and encourages official development assistance providers to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.2 per cent of gross national income for official development assistance to the least developed countries, while reiterating that an important use of international public finance, including official development assistance, is to catalyse additional resource mobilization from other sources, public and private;

Reaffirms that the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls, in accordance with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of relevant United Nations conferences and resolutions of the General Assembly, including through investing in the development of women and girls and promoting their economic and political participation and equal access to economic and productive resources and education, is of fundamental importance and has a multiplier effect for achieving sustained and inclusive economic growth, poverty eradication and sustainable development;

Recalls the recognition in the Political Declaration of the Comprehensive High-level Midterm Review of the Implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011–2020 of the importance of the reviews by the Committee for Development Policy of the graduation criteria for the least developed countries, and the recommendation in the Political Declaration that the reviews be comprehensive, taking into account all aspects of the evolving international development context, including relevant agendas, and in this regard recalls the decision of the Committee to implement a multi-year work programme for a comprehensive review of the least developed country criteria and looks forward to its outcome;

Congratulates those countries that have met the criteria for graduation from least developed country status, notes with appreciation that several least developed countries have expressed their intention to reach the status of graduation by 2020, invites those countries to start the preparations for their graduation and transition strategy, and requests all relevant organizations of the United Nations system, led by the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, to extend the necessary support in this regard, in a coordinated manner, and in this regard welcomes the establishment of the inter-agency task force on graduation and smooth transition by the Office of the High Representative;

Reiterates that wider recognition of least developed country status could stimulate and facilitate better integration of the Istanbul Programme of Action into development policies, and in this regard recalls the survey conducted by the Committee for Development Policy to collect information on the recognition and application of the least developed country category by entities of the United Nations development system and the recommendations of the Committee;

Recalls the decision contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that effective linkages will be made with the follow-up and review arrangements of all relevant United Nations conferences and processes, including on the least developed countries, underlines the importance of strong synergy in the implementation of the recently adopted agendas and the Istanbul Programme of Action at the national and subnational levels, and encourages coordination and coherence in the follow-up of their implementation;

Welcomes the increase in the share of expenditure for operational activities for development of the United Nations system in the least developed countries in 2017, which reached 47.7 per cent of total expenditures at the country level, while noting that in 2012 the system contributed 51 per cent, urges the United Nations development system to continue to prioritize allocations to the least developed countries by developing operational guidelines, while reaffirming that the least developed countries, as the most vulnerable group of countries, need enhanced support to overcome structural challenges that they face in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and requests the United Nations development system to provide assistance to graduating countries in the formulation and implementation of their national transition strategies and to consider country-specific support for graduated countries for a fixed period of time and in a predictable manner;

Invites, in this regard, the United Nations development system to prioritize allocations to the least developed countries by developing operational guidelines with clear budget targets, as appropriate;

Welcomes with appreciation and endorses the generous offer of the Government of Qatar to host the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Doha at the highest possible level, including Heads of State and Government, in 2021 for a duration of not more than five working days;

Recalls that, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 73/242, the meetings of the preparatory committee for the Conference will be preceded by two regional preparatory meetings, each no longer than three days, one in collaboration with the Economic Commission for Africa and the other in collaboration with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, in the context of the regular annual session of each Commission, with those regional meetings to be supported by broad-based and inclusive country-level preparations;

Calls upon Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, major groups and other donors to contribute in a timely manner to the trust fund in support of activities undertaken by the Office of the High Representative to support the implementation, follow-up and monitoring of the Istanbul Programme of Action and the participation of the representatives from the least developed countries in the high-level political forum on sustainable development of the Economic and Social Council as well as in other relevant forums and the preparatory process of the Conference, and in this regard expresses its appreciation to those countries that have made voluntary contributions to the trust fund;

Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Council at its 2020 session, under the sub-item entitled “Review and coordination of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011−2020” of the item entitled “Implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits”, a progress report on the implementation of the Programme of Action.

Paragraph content is machine-extracted from UN documents. For authoritative content, please refer to the official UN document.

No headings found in this document.

Who created this mandate?

What other versions does this mandate have?

What subjects does this mandate have?

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

What does this mandate say?

Table of contents