UNCTAD’s The Least Developed Countries Report provides a comprehensive and authoritative source of socio-economic analysis and data on the world’s most impoverished countries.
The Report is intended for a broad readership of governments, policymakers, researchers, and all those involved with LDCs’ development policies.
The Least Developed Countries Report 2025 bears the working subtitle, “Are Services the New Path to Structural Transformation?”
Objective
The Peer Review of The Least Developed Countries Report 2025 brought together invited analysts in the fields of structural transformation, development policies, international trade, trade policy, digital economy, financing for development; research scholars; policymakers; and subject matter experts to review and discuss a draft of the forthcoming Report.
The objective of the Peer Review was to critically assess the methodologies followed in the Report, deepen the analysis contained therein in light of recent scholarship, and sharpen the policy implications of the analysis. The Peer Review was undertaken as part of a comprehensive effort to ensure the highest quality and analytical rigour of the final Report.
Participants in the Peer Review included the following external experts:
- Ms. Laura Baiker, World Trade Organization
- Ms. Beatrice Chaytor, AfCFTA Secretariat
- Mr. Elwyn Davies, The World Bank
- Mr. Matteo Fiorini, OECD
- Ms. Trudi Hartzenberg, Tralac
- Ms. Mosi Li, Digital Trade Institute, SUIBE
- Mr. Xiankun Lu, Ledeco Center Switzerland
- Ms. Nanditha Mathew, UNU-CRIS
- Mr. Emmanuel B. Mensah, Utrecht University School of Economics
- Mr. Gift Mugano, Africa Economic Development Strategies
- Mr. Felipe Munoz, World Trade Organization
- Mr. Gideon Ndubuisi, Delft University of Technology
- Ms. Hildegunn Kyvik Nordås, Council on Economic Policies
- Mr. Solomon Owusu, Boston University
- Mr. Carlo Pietrobelli, Roma Tre University
- Mr. Ben Shepherd, Developing Trade Consultants
- Mr. Yusuke Tateno, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
- Mr. Daniel Kwabena Twerefou, University of Ghana
- Ms. Ankai Xu, World Trade Organization
- Mr. Peter Ying, School of Global Governance
- Mr. Gainmore Zanamwe, African Export Import Bank
- Mr. Quan Zhao, International Trade Centre
