Bangladesh is scheduled to graduate from least developed country (LDC) status on 24 November 2026, following a five-year preparatory period approved by the General Assembly. This milestone reflects decades of sustained development progress across multiple indicators: income growth, improved human development outcomes and reduced structural vulnerability.
Publications
17 March 2026
Recent global shocks—including the pandemic, climate disruptions, and rising protectionism—have deepened vulnerabilities for African Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), particularly by disrupting trade and eroding preferential market access.
27 February 2026
Uganda, classified as both a Least Developed Country (LDC) and a Landlocked Developing Country (LLDC), faces unique structural challenges in its path toward economic transformation. With graduation from the LDC status on the horizon, the need to reassess and reinforce its trade foundations has never been more urgent.
27 February 2026
At this pivotal juncture in Rwanda’s development trajectory, the country has registered notable gains in social development and economic transformation. As both a Least Developed Country (LDC) and a Landlocked Developing Country (LLDC), Rwanda stands on the threshold of graduating from LDC cateogry, a transition that brings both significant opportunities and emerging challenges.
30 October 2025
Given the growing urgency surrounding loss and damage (L&D) and the recognised need for additional resources to address this critical issue, it is vital that the initial efforts and momentum be sustained.
30 September 2025
The UN General Assembly, in resolution 78/322, noted that a country’s vulnerability to adverse external shocks in all dimensions is a threat to its sustainable development. This is true even for developing countries with a high national income as they can be structurally less resilient.
02 August 2025
This collection of think pieces was compiled by the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN?OHRLLS).
02 August 2025
The 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) face a unique set of vulnerabilities to climate change due to their geographic circumstances, structural economic challenges, and limited mitigation and adaptation capacities.
02 August 2025
This report reviews developmental trends in Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), evaluating progress in the priority areas of the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA) and estimating the economic cost of landlockedness.
02 August 2025
Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) face structural challenges with transport and trade processes that contribute to high logistical costs on trade. This report develops a dataset on unit logistics costs measured in $/ton, disaggregated by origin, destination, commodity, and mode of transport, as the basis of a comparative analysis of LLDC logistics costs relative to other economies.