{"id":23,"date":"2024-02-27T06:03:14","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T06:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/ldcs\/?page_id=23"},"modified":"2026-04-07T04:31:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T04:31:16","slug":"least-developed-countries","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/ldcs\/focus-areas\/least-developed-countries\/","title":{"rendered":"LDCs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Least Developed Countries (LDCs)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Some 44 countries are categorized as LDCs as of 1 January 2024. Of these, 28 LDCs are located in Africa, six in Arab States, ten in Asia & Pacific, and one in the Americas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Since 1971, the United Nations has recognized the Least Developed Countries (LDC) as the \u201cpoorest and weakest segment\u201d of the international community. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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LDC are defined as low-income countries that are suffering from long-term impediments to growth. They have low levels of human and economic development and are vulnerable to both socio-economic and environmental shocks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\n \n ICT Statistics and Indicators for LDCs <\/a>\n <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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ICTs to address the development challenges of LDC<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Declaration recognizes that “the spread of information and communication technology and global interconnectedness has great potential to accelerate human progress, to bridge the digital divide and to develop knowledge societies, as does scientific and technological innovation across areas as diverse as medicine and energy”.  SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation, Target 9.c <\/a>calls to “significantly increase access to ICT and strive to provide universal and affordable access to Internet in LDCs by 2020<\/em>“. Yet, three years past this deadline, almost one fifth of the population cannot even access the Internet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Since the Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries<\/a> in 2011, progress has been made in terms of connectivity in the LDCs. The share of the population in LDCs using the Internet increased almost ten-fold to reach 36 per cent in 2022. Accessing the Internet has become cheaper and easier and mobile broadband has gone from being non-existent to being ubiquitous. But progress has been from a very low base and so much remains to be done. Among the few who can access, many do not, because of multiple barriers, ranging from awareness to skills and costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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ITU has mainstreamed the needs of LDCs in all its activities, programmes and projects\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b to achieve its commitments under the Istanbul Programme of Action 2011-2020<\/a> and more recently, under the Doha Programme of Action 2022-2031<\/a>. ITU\u2019s participation in the Fifth United Nations Conference on LDCs (LDC5) <\/a>which adopted the Doha Programme of Action is reflected here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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ITU is committed to enhancing its support to LDCs and the impact of its work on social and economic development across the board through ensuring meaningful connectivity and sustainable digital transformation aligned with the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs. As part of ITU\u2019s mandate, the ITU Development Bureau (BDT) provides technical assistance and customized support to LDCs upon request. In addition, BDT is developing research and analysis on the development of telecommunications\/ICTs and digital technologies in LDCs and their contribution to economic and social development and the achievement of SDGs. Through its core work and through building strong and sustainable development partnerships, ITU also supports LDCs in their graduation process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5)<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n
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The Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) took place from 5-9 March 2023 in Doha, Qatar. The official report is now available for download in all UN official languages.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Related resources<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Facts and Figures: Focus on Least Developed Countries – March 2023<\/p>\n ITU\u2019s Measuring digital development \u2013 Facts and Figures: Focus on Least Developed Countries looks at the state of digital connectivity in the LDCs, as a contribution to the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5). \n Download the report <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Digital Impact Unlocked in LDCs<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Empowering the Future: Advancing Digital Regulation for a Connected World<\/p>\n

Discover more<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \n \"\"\n

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Collaboration to support digital transformation in Lesotho<\/p>\n

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Towards a digitally enabled Uganda<\/p>\n

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Transforming Futures with Digital Skills through the ITU\/EIF joint programme in Ethiopia<\/p>\n

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Unleashing Digital Empowerment through the ITU\/EIF Joint Programme in Burundi<\/p>\n

Discover more<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \n \"\"\n

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National roll-outs of Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative begin<\/p>\n

Discover more<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \n \"\"\n

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Lesotho: Digital transformation of public services through GovStack<\/p>\n

Discover more<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \n \"\"\n

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Preparing women as policy-makers and cyber-diplomats<\/p>\n

Discover more<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n \n \"\"\n

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People with diabetes in Senegal benefit from mobile health advice in Ramadan<\/p>\n

Discover more<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Explore similar stories<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Some 44 countries are categorized as LDCs as of 1 January 2024. Of these, 28 LDCs are located in Africa, six in Arab States, ten in Asia & Pacific, and one in the Americas. 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