Preparatory Process
Preparations for LDC5 involve national, regional and global reviews of all IPoA priorities by all major stakeholders.
National reviews: During 2019-2020, LDCs carried out their own assessment of progress and challenges in implementing the Istanbul Programme of Action at the national level. National Review Reports prepared by a majority of LDCs are available here.
Regional reviews: The Africa Regional Review was hosted by the Government of Malawi and took place from 22 to 26 February 2021 as a virtual meeting. The Asia Pacific Regional Review, to be hosted in Dhaka by the Government of Bangladesh.
Global level reviews: UN Agencies, as well as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization and other relevant international and regional organizations, have been invited to collaborate on the organization of pre-conference events and undertake thematic appraisals in order to outline strategies to make further progress in specific sectoral areas of importance for LDC sustainable development. Pre-conference thematic reviews involve governments, the private sector, academia, civil society and parliamentarians.
The outcomes of these inclusive and broad-based reviews at national, regional and global levels will feed into the work of the Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee (PrepCom), whose mandate is to agree on elements of the new Programme of Action for the LDCs that will then be finalised and adopted by the Doha Conference. At its Organizational Session on 8 February 2021, the LDC5 PrepCom elected its Bureau and two co-Chairs, Ambassador Fatima of Bangladesh and Ambassador Rae of Canada.
- Organizational session: 8 February 2021
- PrepCom 1st session: 24-28 May 2021
- PrepCom 2nd session: 26-30 July 2021
In addition to the intergovernmental process described above, OHRLLS will organise consultative meetings for the Ambassadors of LDCs and Friends of LDCs in New York to find consensus on new priorities. OHRLLS is also committed to ensure the full engagement of civil society and youth in the preparatory process for LDC5.
OHRLLS will continue to coordinate the inter-agency group on IPOA and its contributions to LDC5.
Find more information on preparations at the global level.
National Reviews
In 2019, LDCs were asked to report on the progress made at the national level towards the goals of the Istanbul Programme of Action. Guidelines for the preparation of these national reports were prepared by OHRLLS and provided to all LDCs. UN country teams in the LDCs were asked to extend their support as appropriate to national level preparations.
Regional Reviews
With General Assembly resolution 74/232B adopted in August 2020, the two regional review meetings have been rescheduled. These are organized in close collaboration with the Governments of Malawi and Bangladesh, as well as the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and will involve all LDCs and their development partners.
The Africa Regional Review took place in 22 to 26 February 2021. The Asia Pacific Regional Review took place from 30 August to 2 September 2021.
Global Reviews
UN Agencies, as well as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organisation and other relevant international and regional organisations, have been invited to collaborate on the global IPOA review process.