Contribution of UNCTAD to the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011–2020: Fourth progress report

The Trade and Development Board,

Deliberating at its annual review of progress in the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011–2020 (Istanbul Programme of Action),

1. Expresses satisfaction with various activities undertaken by UNCTAD in implementing the Istanbul Programme of Action, as contained in document TD/B/62/8;
    
2. Notes with particular interest the support that UNCTAD has given to several countries working towards graduating from the United Nations category of least developed countries;
    
3. Welcomes the progress made by countries towards the graduation from least developed country status; however, notes with concern that achieving the Istanbul Programme of Action target of “enabling half of the least developed countries to meet the graduation criteria by 2020” still remains an enormous challenge;
    
4. Encourages the UNCTAD secretariat, with the support of member States, and other development partners, to intensify efforts towards the further implementation of the Programme of Action to enable the least developed countries to achieve accelerated, sustained, equitable and inclusive economic growth and sustainable development necessary to meet the overall objectives of the Programme of Action by 2020;
    
5. Urges UNCTAD to make substantive contributions to the comprehensive high-level midterm review of progress in the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action, to be held in Antalya, Turkey, in June 2016, within its mandate;
    
6. Encourages Governments of the least developed countries to put forward comprehensive policies and strategies to effectively address the socioeconomic challenges, marginalization and underdevelopment of those countries, and welcomes the support of development partners in this regard, including through the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
    
7. Reiterates the continued importance of developing productive capacities and promoting structural economic transformation, including diversification of the economies of the least developed countries, to effectively address the root causes of underdevelopment in those countries, promote sustained economic growth and expand opportunities for productive employment;
    
8. Invites UNCTAD, with the support of donor countries, to facilitate the full and effective participation of the least developed countries at the fourteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to enable them to promote and protect their collective trade and development interests during and beyond the Conference;
    
9. Appreciates the contribution of UNCTAD to the implementation of the Enhanced Integrated Framework and calls on the organization to continue to play a positive role during phase II of the Framework;
    
10. Recognizes also the work of UNCTAD and the support and the continuing valuable technical cooperation it provides to the least developed countries in the multilateral negotiations process of the World Trade Organization, and invites UNCTAD to continue this effort in different areas of the negotiations;
     
11. Invites UNCTAD to continue to support activities of sharing experiences and good practices among its membership, especially through expert meetings;
     
12. Urges the secretariat to further strengthen its work on the least developed countries, and recalls paragraph 7 of the decision of the fifty-seventh session of the Working Party on the Strategic Framework and the Programme Budget;[1]
     
13. Emphasizes the importance of strengthening UNCTAD support to small island developing States (SIDS), several of which are also least developed countries, in their progress towards sustainable development, in accordance with the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, which was adopted by the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, in Samoa, in September 2014;
     
14. Invites UNCTAD to mainstream the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014–2024 into its work programme, including annual reporting, insofar as it falls within the mandate of UNCTAD;
     
15. Expresses appreciation to bilateral donors for their continued support and financial contributions to the UNCTAD Trust Fund for Least Developed Countries, and urges diversification of the sources of funding in order to meet the increasing demand of least developed countries for UNCTAD technical assistance and capacity-building.

                     [1]   See TD/B/WP/227, p. 2.