CDP Background Paper No. 59
By Matthias Bruckner
Export concentration has long been recognized as a key indicator of the development progress of least developed countries (LDCs). This paper presents the refined export concentration index recently included in the criteria used for identifying LDCs. The refined index is a Theil index that covers both concentration in the basket of exported products and concentration in the set of export markets, thereby capturing two dimensions of vulnerability due to undiversified export structures. The paper shows that relative to other developing countries, LDCs are less diversified both in terms of export products and export markets, contributing to their…
Measuring export concentration for identifying least developed countries
CDP Background Paper No. 51
By Djalita Fialho and Namsuk Kim
This paper provides conceptual inputs on a potential bi-modal monitoring framework for the Least Developed Country (LDC) category. The focus is on discussing its general aspects, in order to help build, among key stakeholders, a common understanding of the general direction such an initiative might take. It intends to help move discourse (and practices) from (reactive) ?crisis management? to (proactive) ?resilience management?, representing a change in perspective likely to help move the process of LDC monitoring forward in a meaningful manner, qualifying the contribution that the CDP might provide in this regard. With an improved…
Towards a resilience-building framework for monitoring countries graduating and graduated from the Least Developed Country category
Upon request of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, the Committee for Development Policy undertook a comprehensive on the impact of COVID-19 on the LDC category. It has two main intended uses. First, it is an input to the 2021 triennial review, meant to enable the Committee to incorporate fully into its triennial reviews the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on LDCs and countries graduating from the LDC category. Second, it is an input to a possible contribution by the Committee to the forthcoming fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, to be held in Doha from 23 to 27 January 2022. As a result, the study contains suggestions for support for LDCs and…
Comprehensive Study on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Least Developed Country Category
CDP Background Paper Series Archive
The CDP Background Papers are preliminary documents circulated in a limited number of copies and posted on this website, to stimulate discussion and critical comment on the broad range of economic, social and environmental issues associated with the issues dealt with by the Committee for Development Policy.
Readers are invited to submit their comments directly to the authors. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations Secretariat. The designations and terminology employed may not conform to United Nations practice and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Organization.…
CDP Background Paper Series Archive
CDP Background Paper No. 14
By the Secretariat of the Committee for Development Policy
This report makes some preliminary suggestions for actions to be taken by the international development community and the graduating countries to strengthen the process of preparing for graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category. The report also offers concrete proposals for addressing in a systematic manner, the current concerns among LDCs about the ad-hoc nature of the extension and phasing out of measures provided by certain development and trading partners.
Strengthening smooth transition from the least developed country category
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