Progress in the implementation of the priority areas of the Istanbul Programme of Action for least developed countries

Abstract

The mid-point review of the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action will take place in Turkey, in 2016. The review will be preceded in 2015 by a series of watershed events which will have significant implications for all least developed countries. The importance of official development assistance in the financing portfolio of least developed countries, coupled with the uncertainties in development financing posed by the global financial crisis, make the Financing for Development Conference outcomes of keen interest for this category of countries. Similarly, given the vulnerability of least developed countries to climate change and the financial implications of climate adaptation, the outcomes of the United Nations Climate Change Conference will be of particular relevance for these countries.