Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. Such a high number of young people is an opportunity for the continent’s growth – but only if these new generations are fully empowered to realise their best potential. It is especially important that young people are included in decision making and given appropriate opportunities for work and to innovate.
The most ambitious agenda possible for the world’s most vulnerable states will be agreed at the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar in January 2022.
Known as LDC5, the meeting will be a major landmark in the efforts of LDCs and their partners to overcome core challenges, including the COVID crisis.
Decisions made by world leaders at LDC5 will have the potential to transform the lives of no less than a billion of the world’s most vulnerable people.
High Stakes
NEW YORK 4 December 2020 – The small island nation of Vanuatu is celebrating today as it is officially no longer classified as one of the world’s least developed countries, or LDCs.
Despite the compounding threats of COVID-19, natural disasters and climate change, the Vanuatu government sees graduation as a positive sign that the country is increasingly able to build resilience and meet its citizens’ needs.
The COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging labour markets around the world. Global trends such as globalisation, demographic shifts, climate change and technology have already brought profound shifts to the world of work, and the pandemic has accelerated changes.
NEW YORK 12 October 2020 – The Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) set an ambitious goal to see half of the LDCs graduate from the category during its period of implementation of 2011-2020. Though that target has not been met, progress made by several LDCs has led to a record number meeting the graduation criteria.
