LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDCs)

May 11, 2019

A WTO Ministerial meeting of 16 developing countries and 6 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is being hosted by India in New Delhi on 13-14 May 2019 to discuss various challenges facing the multilateral rule-based-trading system.

About: 

  • Who are LDCs? Least developed countries (LDCs) are low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development. They are highly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks and have low levels of human assets. 

  • Criteria: To identify LDCs, the CDP uses three criteria – 
    • Gross National Income (GNI) per capita; 

    • Human Assets Index (HAI) and 

    • Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI). 



  • How Many? According to United Nations, there are currently 47 countries on the list of LDCs which is reviewed every three years by the Committee for Development (CDP). 

  • Benefits of Tag? LDCs have exclusive access to specific international support in the areas of trade, development assistance, and general support. 

Source : PIB

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