17 May 2013: The UN has released an advance version of the Secretary-General’s report on the Implementation of the Programme of Action (IoPA) for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for the Decade 2011-2020. The report finds moderate progress towards achieving the goals and targets of the IoPA, and underscored the need to give priority to LDCs in the post-2015 development agenda.

According to the Secretary-General’s report, the highest proportion of undernourished individuals were found in African LDCs. In Asia and Pacific LDCs, more modest undernourishment rates were noted. Improvements in primary health were recognized in Pacific LDCs, in particular the Solomon Islands, Samoa, and Tuvalu. The report notes that strong global and domestic commitments supported this progress in improved education, increased child protection, better nutrition for children and mothers, and improved reproductive health.

Overall, however, the report found moderate progress towards achieving the goals and targets of the IPoA. It underlines the need to give due priority to these countries in the post-2015 development agenda, as a means to promote a stable and peaceful global order. It recommends that IPoA key priority areas be incorporated in the post-2015 development agenda, including: productive capacity building, including through rapid development of infrastructure and energy; green growth policies to achieve sustained, equitable and inclusive economic growth; structural transformation; food security; poverty eradication; resilience building; and sufficient policy space to pursue the agenda of structural transformation and productive employment. [Secretary-General’s Report on LDCs Programme of Action] [Publication: Report of the Secretary-General, Final version (A/68/88–E/2013/81)]