Are the LDCs really the world’s least developed countries?

Abstract

The term ‘the least developed countries’ (LDCs) is widely understood to designate, exactly as stated, the world’s least developed countries. In conjunction with the 2015 United Nations (UN) triennial review of the LDC category, this article attempts to critically evaluate the UN’s list of LDC countries in the light of various indicators – economic, social, political, military and security related, and psychological. It concludes that the official and actual lists of LDCs, despite important similarities, are not completely identical. The term ‘the LDCs’ as used by the UN is therefore not fully consistent with the reality it attempts to designate and describe.

Keywords:

• Least developed countries
• LDCs
• development
• poverty and inequality
• United Nations
• terminology

Notes

1. Committee for Development Policy and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category.

2. Ibid., 3.

3. Ibid., 3.

4. Ibid., 3–4.

5. UNCTAD, Least Developed Countries Report 2014. Ghana, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe declined to be included in the LDC list. See: Committee for Development Policy and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category, 2nd ed., 10.

6. In 2015, Angola was recommended to be graduated from the LDC category. See: Committee for Development Policy and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Handbook on the Least Developed Country Category, 2nd ed., 7, 20.

7. UNCTAD, Least Developed Countries Report 2014.

8. Ibid.

9. Chantebout, Le Tiers Monde.