The Fourth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (UN LDC-IV) was organised in Istanbul, Turkey in 2011, which adopted the Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the decade 2011-2020 (IPoA). IPoA constitutes the most recent global commitment to support the special development needs of the least developed countries (LDCs) for the decade ending in 2020. The goal is to halve the number of LDCs (49) by focusing policy on eight priority areas in both developed and developing countries. The eight priority areas are as follows:

A. Productive capacity 

• Infrastructure
• Energy
• Science, technology and innovation
• Private sector development

 B. Agriculture, food security and rural development 

 C. Trade 

 D. Commodities 

 E. Human and social development 

• Education and training
• Population and primary health
• Youth development
• Shelter
• Water and sanitation
• Gender equality and empowerment of women
• Social protection

 F. Multiple crises and other emerging challenges 

• Economic shocks
• Climate change and environmental sustainability
• Disaster risk reduction

 G. Mobilizing financial resources for development and capacity-building 

• Domestic resource mobilization
• Official development assistance
• External debt
• Foreign direct investment
• Remittances

 H. Good governance at all levels

Click here to download the IPoA document.