Background

As the midpoint of the decade-long programme of action draws near, the UN General Assembly has decided to hold the comprehensive High-level Midterm Review of the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA) for Least Developed Countries from 27 to 29 May, 2016, in Antalya, Turkey. Participation will be at the highest possible political level and will bring together all stakeholders of the IPoA; representatives from governments, the private sector, multilateral organizations, civil society, academia. The High-level Midterm Review (MTR) will result in an inter-governmentally negotiated and agreed outcome in the form of a political declaration

Objective

The MTR will undertake an assessment of the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action by the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and their development partners. The LDCs represent the most vulnerable segment of the international community. They comprise more than 880 million people (about 12 per cent of world population), but account for less than 2 percent of world GDP and about 1 percent of global trade in goods. Bringing sustained, equitable and inclusive economic growth is a matter of urgency and the MTR will serve to reaffirm the global commitment to address the special needs of the LDCs countries made at the Fourth UN Conference on the LDCs. It will also further strengthen the global partnership for development for LDCs, in all priority areas of the IPoA, as well as in the context of the new global sustainable development framework in order to ensure its timely and effective implementation during the remainder of the decade and beyond. The MTR will also provide an opportunity to launch concrete measures, initiatives and partnerships, individually or collectively, that have the potential to further progress the IPoA, building on the momentum of recent and relevant United Nations meetings, agendas and conferences.