The Least Developed Countries Report 2019: The Present and Future of External Development Finance - Old Dependence, New Challenges

The Trade and Development Board

1. Welcomes with appreciation the UNCTAD report, The Least Developed Countries Report 2019: The Present and Future of External Development Finance – Old Dependence, New Challenges, for the new insights it provides on the challenges of the least developed countries and their continuing dependence on official development assistance;
    
2. Notes with concern the very slow increase in the volume of official development assistance disbursed to the least developed countries under the period of implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011–2020 (Istanbul Programme of Action), which renders their pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals even more challenging, and encourages donor countries to strengthen their financial support to the least developed countries, supporting their productive capacity and structural transformation;
    
3. Calls upon all relevant stakeholders to support and assist the least developed countries in gaining maximum benefits from the multilateral trading system, including by harnessing trade preferences granted to them;
    
4. Welcomes the increased number of development partners, which has however increased complexity, and encourages the least developed countries to develop integrated national financing frameworks to best take advantage of opportunities, while ensuring effective aid management and delivery in line with national development strategies;
    
5. Recognizes the importance of UNCTAD work across the three pillars on services for the structural transformation of the least developed countries;
    
6. Takes note of the proposal for an “Aid Effectiveness Agenda 0”, contained in The Least Developed Countries Report 2019;
    
7. Encourages all relevant stakeholders of the new aid architecture to align and coordinate their projects and financial flows with national development plans of the least developed countries;
    
8. Welcomes the efforts at mobilizing domestic resources which the least developed countries have undertaken since the beginning of the century, especially considering the limitations inherent to their level of development;
    
9. Encourages donor countries and other countries in a position to do so to replenish the Trust Fund for the Least Developed Countries of UNCTAD.