Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States - Vulnerable Countries

Tackling Vulnerability on the Road to LDC5

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 18:42:00 +0000

uganda_ilo_asin_nsubuga_ilo_rudmec.jpg

Buyers and sellers practice social distance during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Ugandan marketplace.

Yasin Nsubuga ILO / RUDMEC

NEW YORK 27 October 2020 – COVID-19 is impacting the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in unprecedented, profound and disproportionate ways. This is why these countries, often unable to afford comprehensive response plans, need more international support.

So what does COVID-19 mean for the most vulnerable countries and the support they need from the international community?

That was the over-riding question at a two-part high-level forum organised by OHRLLS, the OECD Development Centre and FERDI on October 21 and 23.

At the meeting, representatives from governments, multilateral institutions and civil society urged the international community to rethink the economic vulnerability of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and of developing countries more generally.

Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, issued a stark warning to those present at the meeting and the international community at large: “The very credibility of the multilateral system is at stake.”

She explained: “LDCs are the most vulnerable with least access to resources. The LDCs’ structural vulnerabilities are visible to all of us and there is absolute urgency to build resilience and redouble efforts towards achieving the SDGs.”

Vulnerability is one of the main criteria for including in the LDC category in the first instance. It is measured by the economic and environmental vulnerability index (EVI), which captures a country’s structural vulnerability to economic and environmental shocks.

However, growing concerns on exposure to international shocks, and the compounding of several risks, make it necessary to rethink how we think of national and individual vulnerability and how we help the LDCs address it.

Prof. Patrick Guillamont, President of FERDI, highlighted that the vulnerability of LDCs is largely due to structural handicaps beyond their control. It is due to these vulnerabilities, he said, that LDCs have been especially severely affected by COVID-19 in all sectors of their economies. He stressed that reducing vulnerability is the key to managing all shocks, from economic to climate-related.

Speaking about the importance of “people-centric” approaches to tackling vulnerability, Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development, HE Khalifa Jassim Al-Kuwari told the meeting that “The local community has the knowledge, understands the challenges faced and knows which of them are the most pressing.”

Any global recovery will depend on how the weakest economies and health systems can cope with the pandemic. While developed countries have taken large-scale action to deliver broad stimulus packages and protective measures, many of the most vulnerable countries do not have the means, or are too deep in debt, to do the same.

HE Abila Musleh, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Women Affairs in Afghanistan talked about the financial challenges that her country has faced since the pandemic broke out.

“Beyond the very serious human cost and economic downturn, COVID has created a large fiscal hole,” she said, adding that while “donors have responded with some $1.5bn in quick response aid, but only a small portion represents new money.”

HE Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), said that the international community must “reinvigorate and reform international co-operation" to better respond to the emerging challenges.

Calling a more robust approach to the measurement and assessment of vulnerability in development responses, he called for the international community to focus on placing multidimensional vulnerabilities, resilience and the provision of global public goods at the core of the system.”

Front Page Article:

Statement at the Towards UN LDC5 - Recovery from COVID-19 Tackling Vulnerabilities and Leveraging Scarce Resources Event

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 05:21:00 +0000

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

21 & 23 October 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I join H.E. Ambassador Escudero, Permanent Representative of Spain to the OECD and Chair of the Governing Board of the Development Centre, in warmly welcoming you all to this virtual event.

More than nine months have passed since the world over COVID took too many lives, disrupted countless lives, decimated and continues to shake livelihoods.

More than ever, and in solidarity, we must focus on Recovery from COVID-19, we must find ways to tackle vulnerabilities and leverage scarce resources.

And this is precisely the theme of our meeting.

This virtual event is also held in the context of preparations for the Fifth UN Conference on LDCs, in short LDC5.

I wish to thank our main co-organisers, FERDI and the OECD Development Centre. Prof. Guillaumont, the President of Ferdi, and Mario Pezzini, the Director of the Development Centre and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the OECD.

You both are good friends of not only OHRLLS but also the LDCs.

I also thank all other partners for contributing to this endeavor.

Just as you all, I am grateful to see the LDC IV Monitor, which is a consortium including the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD, Bangladesh), with us.

You already contributed to the Fourth UN Conference in Istanbul and its mid-term review and I am very happy to see you engaged in the preparations for LDC5.

Last but certainly not least, I must acknowledge the collaboration with the Southern Voice network of think tanks, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) and the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER). 

It is encouraging to see such a broad group representing many stakeholders not only from governments, the UN and think tanks but also civil society. Indeed, it is all together that we must engage in discussions about the needs of LDCs and what can be done to enhance their resilience.

As I said a moment ago, our virtual meeting takes place in the context of the preparations of LDC5.

The General Assembly has agreed to hold the conference from 23 to 27 January 2022, in Doha, Qatar, at the highest level.

Three key goals will drive the leaders from all UN Member States:

Undertake a comprehensive appraisal of the IPOA implementation by the LDCs and their development partners;

Mobilize additional international support measures and action in favour of the LDCs and,
Agree on a renewed partnership between the LDCs and their development partners, including the private sector, civil society and governments at all levels.

It is with even stronger resolve and determination that we relaunch the LDC5 preparatory process.

From now to January 2022, an intensive preparatory process takes place. This includes regional review meetings for Africa and Haiti and Asia-Pacific LDCs.

A range of formal and informal meetings will happen and involve many stakeholders, including parliaments, the private sector, youth, foundations and civil society.

You can find all the details on our website.

Additionally, and in a novel effort, we organize what we call an Academic Conference.

We do so next year jointly with UNU-WIDER, SDSN, and the Government of Finland, in Helsinki.

The goal is to provide an analytical underpinning to the discussions leading up to the LDC5.

So why is this LDC5 conference so important?

The IPoA set as its key goal to overcome the structural challenges of LDCs as the means to eradicate poverty, achieve internationally agreed development goals and enable graduation from the LDC category.

The most recent report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the IPoA highlights that there has been some progress and most notably with respect to graduation.

But as always there is a but.

The objectives of achieving structural transformation and building productive capacity, and of combating poverty through high rates of economic growth and decent jobs powered by export growth, have not been realized. And this we could already see even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

It is the very well documented vulnerabilities of these countries causing this limited progress.

Just let me mention a few.

There is their narrow range of export products which makes them vulnerable to any fluctuations in commodity prices. Prices have declined since 2013 and thus have diminished the value of exports and foreign currency earnings.

We have climate vulnerability due to climate change induced or accelerated phenomena such as hurricanes, cyclones, flooding, drought and landslides. They have caused devastating loss and damage to lives, livelihoods and infrastructure.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront inequalities and poverty and so starkly teaches us lessons about the interlinked nature of the various vulnerabilities LDCs face and the devastation this causes.

Yes, we have the direct health impacts of the pandemic but at the same time we have the direct impacts on the very livelihoods of people. Tourism, trade and remittances have plummeted in these nations. The consequences are many from job losses, to increasing poverty and a decline in government revenues, worsening an already acute debt situation.

The lockdown and closures have had major negative social impacts, including on gender, decent work, health, education, and food security. The vast majority of workers in LDCs are in the informal economy and do not benefit from social protection.

For example, in the Sahel region, nationwide school closures due to COVID-19 came at a time when a very large number of schools had already been closed for several months because of severe insecurity, strikes, or climatic hazards.

For girls that cannot attend school for months because of school closures it became more likely that they will not ever return to school with all the negative long-term consequences this might have.

COVID-19 has also shown us how urgent it is that we close yet another divide, the digital divide. Countries that are left furthest behind need support from all relevant actors to enable remote schooling, telemedicine and make use of digital finance.

Indeed, like a mirror we have to look into, the COVID-19 pandemic all too clearly gives us the reflection of stark inequalities and how they keep growing within countries, between countries, regions and at the global level.

So, I just shared with you some examples of the vulnerabilities of LDCs that we together must address and they will be discussed in the first panel today.

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

This brings me to a key topic : development finance.

Prior to the global crisis we now all face, development financing had already fallen short of the financing requirements to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

Prior to the global crisis, fiscal space of the LDCs was already limited due to rising public debt levels and servicing costs.

Not only does this lacking access to finance make it much harder for LDCs to respond to the crisis but it also means that no single source of financing will be enough to close the COVID-19-induced financing gap.

The collapse of domestic revenues we now see severely limits LDCs’ ability to put together sufficient health and stimulus packages.

The decline of remittances will leave too many families in destitution and increase poverty.

The steep decline in FDI to LDCs will hamper urgently needed investment in building productive capacity so that the much needed jobs are created and building back better happens.

For LDCs, it remains difficult to attract private finance due to their high vulnerabilities, smallness and their risk perception.

Yet, they have large needs for example for investments in infrastructure, from transport to sustainable energy.

My Office through the ‘COVID-19 - The Most Vulnerable 91’ campaign, put a spotlight on the very limited scale of funding that has been made available to the LDCs during the pandemic.

LDCs have all made national efforts to respond to the pandemic, their spending power is vastly outmatched by what advanced economies are able to mobilize.

LDCs remain among the poorest nations in the world and their financial resources are limited and their spending power to tackle major crises is very low.

Our research shows that less than seven dollars per head has been shared with LDCs by the international community to help them combat the pandemic.

We are now at a juncture.

More than ever, commitments with respect to ODA and beyond must be met. Increased climate finance must be provided and real debt relief must be seriously considered.

The impacts of the pandemic will be far-reaching and felt for years to come.

LDCs are the most vulnerable with least access to resources. The LDCs’ structural vulnerabilities are visible to all of us and there is absolute urgency to build resilience and redouble efforts towards achieving the SDGs.

The credibility of and trust in multi- lateral cooperation are at stake.

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

This brings me to the need for the new Programme of Action for the LDCs, which will be adopted by Member States in Doha.

This programme must be ambitious and aim towards addressing recovery efforts, building back better, building back inclusively and driving efforts towards the Decade for Action in the LDCs.

It is my sincere hope that our virtual event will generate ideas and political momentum for an effective and coordinated response from international actors to provide adequate financing and technical assistance to build back better for a more equitable, sustainable and resilient world.

I look forward to hearing fresh ideas we can put into action to secure a truly sustainable future for the LDCs.

Thank you.

Front Page Article:

Vulnerable Countries are not getting the support they need despite trillions being mobilized globally to tackle COVID-19

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 19:20:00 +0000

covid-91_c_no-logos.png

COVID-19 is impacting the world’s Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States in unprecedented and disproportionate ways. 

UNOHRLLS

NEW YORK 8 October 2020 – The global response to COVID-19 has been estimated at US$20 trillion and growing. Meanwhile, a mere US$8.5 billion has been spent by international partners to support the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). These countries, with a combined population of 1.1 billion, are facing the full force of the health and economic destruction from this pandemic, without the resources to recover.

“What is clear is that the support received by the most vulnerable countries, while useful and gratefully received, is not nearly on par with the challenges they face,” said Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, United Nations High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, whose office has recently released its findings on the COVID-19 impacts on these 91 vulnerable countries.

The global decline in demand for goods is severely impacting their economies, particularly for countries that depend on the export of manufactured goods. The crisis is also affecting remittances, which are projected to fall by more than 20 percent in the LDCs, representing the loss of a crucial lifeline for vulnerable households. Further, foreign direct investment to these countries is receding.

As High Representative ‘Utoikamanu notes: “Any global recovery will depend on how the weakest economies and health systems can cope with the pandemic. We need the same sense of urgency and ambition from the international community to support the most vulnerable countries, as is evident in the trillions of dollars that have been mobilized to shield advanced economies from the worst impacts of the pandemic.”

The vulnerabilities of the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS have been brought into stark relief as they attempt to save lives, shore up healthcare systems and cushion the economic and social consequences for millions of people, all while avoiding financial collapse. The three groups of vulnerable countries include some of the most indebted and poorest nations in the world. Hunger remains a critical challenge and has further deteriorated as a result of the pandemic. What’s more, many of these countries are on the wrong end of the digital divide, with the lowest rates of internet access and lacking in broad band capacities. Telecommuting and social distancing are not an option for many, and millions of children are not receiving an education since remote learning is unobtainable.

Tourism in small islands states has taken a major hit and their GDP will likely shrink by 4.7 percent this year, far more than the predicted global contraction of 3 percent. But several small island economies are expected to contract even more, perhaps as much as 8 percent. These countries are being battered by climate change and face high national debt levels; they are ill-equipped to face the economic and social devastation from COVID-19 on their own.

Earlier this year, LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS released statements stressing the scale of the pandemic’s impacts on their societies and economies and calling for greater solidarity and support from the international community.

The findings of the UN-OHRLLS analysis were announced today through the Office’s ‘COVID-19, The Most Vulnerable 91’ campaign, to spotlight the scale of funding that has been made available to these 91 countries, and to make the case for more urgent and ambitious support given their vulnerabilities.

To learn more click here.

Front Page Article:

Open Forum for Partnership (2012)

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 18:39:00 +0000

yemen_dana_smillie_world_bank.jpg

Worker at aluminum shop makes window frames in Yemen.

Dana Smillie / World Bank

Soon after the creation of the United Nations Office of the High Representative in early 2002, the Open Forum for Partnership was launched as a platform for entities of the United Nations system, policy makers, academia and development practitioners, often located outside New York, to share their perspectives on development challenges that face the three most vulnerable groups of countries: the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). In this setting, development partners have had the opportunity to share experiences and information on their work in support of these groups of countries.

Download

Front Page Article:

UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda (2012)

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 19:58:00 +0000

burkina_faso_giacomo_pirozziundp.jpg

A woman and man process corn using the multifunctional platform engine in Burkina Faso.

Giacomo Pirozzi/UNDP

Following on the outcome of the 2010 High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations Secretary-General established the UN System Task Team in September 2011 to support UN system-wide preparations for the post-2015 UN development agenda, in consultation with all stakeholders. The Task Team is led by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme and brings together senior experts from over 50 UN entities and international organizations to provide system-wide support to the post-2015 consultation process, including analytical input, expertise and outreach.

Download

Front Page Article:

Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States - Vulnerable Countries

Tackling Vulnerability on the Road to LDC5

uganda_ilo_asin_nsubuga_ilo_rudmec.jpg

Statement at the Towards UN LDC5 - Recovery from COVID-19 Tackling Vulnerabilities and Leveraging Scarce Resources Event

Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

21 & 23 October 2020 New York, USA

Vulnerable Countries are not getting the support they need despite trillions being mobilized globally to tackle COVID-19

covid-91_c_no-logos.png

Open Forum for Partnership (2012)

yemen_dana_smillie_world_bank.jpg

UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda (2012)

burkina_faso_giacomo_pirozziundp.jpg

21 & 23 October 2020
New York, USA