Economic & Social Affairs Committee for Development Policy The Committee for Development Policy The Committee for Development Policy (CDP) is a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Handbook on the It provides inputs and independent advice to the Council on emerging cross-sectoral development issues and on international Least Developed Country Category: cooperation for development, focusing on medium- and long- term aspects. The Committee is also responsible for reviewing Inclusion, Graduation and the status of least developed countries (LDCs) and for monitoring their progress after graduation from the category. Special Support Measures The members of the Committee are nominated by the United Nations Secretary-General in their personal capacity, and are appointed by the Council for a period of three years. Membership Second Edition is geared to reflect a wide range of development experience as well as geographical and gender balance. Additional information can be found at http://www.un.org/en/ development/desa/policy/cdp/index.shtml. ISBN 978-92-1-104690-8 United Nations 14-53573 Committee for Development Policy and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category: Inclusion, Graduation and Special Support Measures Second Edition United Nations October 2015 DESA The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat is a vital interface between global policies in the economic, social and environmental spheres and national action. The Department works in three main interlinked areas: (i) it compiles, generates and analyses a wide range of economic, social and environmental data and information on which States Members of the United Nations draw to review common problems and to take stock of policy options; (ii) it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to address ongoing or emerging global challenges; and (iii) it advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical assistance, helps build national capacities. Note The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authori- ties, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The term “country” as used in the text also refers, as appropriate, to territories or areas. The designations of country groups are intended solely for statistical or analytical conve- nience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage of development reached by a particular country or area in the development process. The views expressed in this publication are those of the Committee for Development Policy and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and policies of the United Nations. United Nations publication Sales No. E.15.II.A.1 ISBN: 978-92-1-104690-8 eISBN: 978-92-1-057505-8 Copyright © United Nations, 2015 All rights reserved Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category v Foreword The category of the least developed countries (LDCs) was established in 1971 as a special group of develop- ing countries characterized by a low income level and structural impediments to growth, and requiring spe- cial measures for dealing with those problems. The Committee for Development Policy (CDP), through its predecessor, the Committee for Development Planning, was actively engaged in the establishment of the least developed country category and has since become highly recognized for its expertise in the identifica- tion of these countries. This revised edition of the Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category builds upon and updates information made available in a previous edition released in 2008. It further underscores the Committee’s dedication to making the methods and approaches used in the identification of least devel- oped countries known to a wider audience of stakeholders and all those interested in finding solutions to the development challenges faced by these countries. It is hoped that the updated and revised Handbook will continue to promote a better understanding of the category and the challenges these countries con- front and thus contribute to galvanizing renewed and additional support for the development efforts of the LDCs. Wu Hongbo Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs United Nations July 2015 vi Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category Acknowledgements The present publication is a collaborative undertaking of the Committee for Development Policy and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The procedures presented here reflect the outcome of collaborative efforts by various members, past and current, of the Committee for Development Policy (CDP). Yet, special acknowledgement should be given to the contributions of Patrick Guillaumont, a member of the Committee from 1987 through 2009, whose renowned expertise and experience provided indispensable intellectual leadership in refining the methodological approaches used to identify least devel- oped countries. The publication also relied on the support of the secretariat of the CDP under the general supervision of Ana Luiza Cortez, Secretary of the Committee, who counted on excellent substantive sup- port from Annette Becker, Matthias Bruckner, Lotte Drieghe, Daniel Gay, Hiroshi Kawamura, Namsuk Kim, and Roland Mollerus. The contributions of Leah C. Kennedy, Mary Lee Kortes, Nardos A. Mulatu and Nancy Settecasi in producing this publication are also gratefully acknowledged. Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category vii Summary The establishment of the least developed country (LDC) category made it possible to attract special sup- port measures for the most disadvantaged economies, which were consistently lagging behind when com- pared with other developing countries. From the outset, LDCs were recognized as low-income countries which faced severe structural handicaps to economic growth and development and needed access to sup- port beyond what was commonly available for all developing countries. The Committee for Development Policy (CDP) is the organ officially mandated by the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the United Nations General Assembly to identify and make recommendations on which countries should belong to the LDC category, whereas the United Nations General Assembly is the organ that ultimately adds countries to or graduates countries from the category. Since 1991, the CDP has conducted triennial reviews of the list of LDCs and dedicated a substantial part of its work programme to the analysis of the development challenges confronted by the LDCs. The second edition of the LDC Handbook provides comprehensive information on the LDC category, including a description of procedures and methodologies used in the identification of these countries, and the support measures associated with it. It builds upon and updates the previous edition published in 2008. As did its predecessor, this revised edition of the Handbook aims at promoting a bet- ter understanding of the LDC category— the only country category officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly—and the benefits derived from membership therein. Accordingly, the publica- tion is intended for the use by government officials, policymakers, researchers and others interested in the particular development problems and challenges faced by the most disadvantaged developing countries. The Handbook is organized as follows: After presenting a brief overview of the history of the category since its inception in 1971, chapter I provides a detailed description about the procedures for inclusion in and graduation from the LDC category, including a presentation of the main principles and approaches used by the CDP for the identification of LDCs. Chapter II presents an overview and categorization of the available international support measures (ISMs) for LDCs. ISMs are accorded by a wide range of trading and development partners in the areas of international trade, official development assistance and general support. Graduation from the LDC category implies the eventual phasing out of this LDC-specific support; a series of provisions have been adopted by the General Assembly to ensure that the development progress of countries leaving the category is not jeopardized by an abrupt withdrawal of support. Lastly, chapter III provides a detailed explanation of the LDC criteria, including composition, methodologies and data sources. In addition, the chapter presents specific examples of the application of the criteria, based on 2015 triennial review of the list of LDCs. As measures of support, provisions, procedures and methodologies evolve overtime, the infor- mation contained in the present Handbook will be updated on a regular basis to reflect relevant devel- opments, including the outcome of the triennial reviews of the list of LDCs. Updates will be posted at http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/cdp/index.shtml. Up-to-date detailed information, in- cluding statistical data used in the most recent triennial review as well information on support measures, are also available at the CDP website. Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category