5th UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC5)

5th UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC5)

Subject : International Relations

Section: International Organization

Concept :

• The Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) concluded with adoption of the ‘Doha Political Declaration’ by the world leaders.
• The declaration made by the head of the states is a key outcome of the second part of LDC5 conference held under the theme “From Potential to Prosperity” at Qatar from March 5-9, 2023.
• It was adopted a year after the text of DPoA for the Decade (2022-2031) was agreed upon during the first part of the LDC5 conference on March 17, 2022 in New York.

About the Declaration

• This declaration focuses on implementing the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) — the 10-year plan to put the world’s 46 most vulnerable countries back on track to achieving the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
• The five key deliverables from the DPoA– an online university, a graduation support package, a food stock holding solution, an investment support centre and a crisis mitigation and resilience building mechanism – will answer key challenges facing the LDCs, and set the path for a more prosperous, equitable future.
• The political declaration made at Qatar is significant since it comes amid simultaneous global risks of rising cost of living and inflation as well as climate change impacts.
• It is expected to help the LDCs address the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, to return to a pathway to achieve the SDGs, address climate change and make strides towards sustainable and irreversible graduation.
• It is also expected to help the LDCs overcome the socio-economic impacts following the Ukraine-Russia war.

Least Developed Country (LDC)

• They are developing countries listed by the UN that exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development.
• The concept first originated in the late 1960s and was codified under UN resolution 2768 passed in November 1971.
• According to the UN, an LDC is defined as “a country that exhibits the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development, with low levels of income, human capital and economic diversification, high levels of economic vulnerability, and a population that is disproportionately reliant on agriculture, natural resources, and primary commodities.”
• The UN identifies three criteria for a country to be classified as an LDC:
• It must have a gross national income (GNI) per capita below the threshold of USD 1,230 over a three-year average.
• It must perform poorly on a composite human assets index based on indicators including nutrition, health and education.
• The country must demonstrate economic vulnerability such as being prone to natural disasters and possessing structural economic constraints.
• Countries must meet a selection from all three criteria simultaneously and are reviewed on a three-year basis by the UN.
• Currently, the UN lists 46 countries that qualify as LDCs. Of those, 33 are from Africa, nine from Asia, three from the Pacific and one from the Caribbean.
• Note :
• Bhutan, the mountainous, landlocked country that is consistently ranked one of the happiest in the world, will on December 13th of this year, become the seventh nation to graduate from the United Nations’ (UN) list of Least Developed Countries (LDC).