LDC graduation Cambodia development matters

LDC Graduation: Stories of smooth transition


 By Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director of the Enhanced Integrated Framework Executive Secretariat at the World Trade Organization 


Of the 46 least developed countries (LDCs), 16 are at different stages of graduation. And, though graduation offers many opportunities, it also presents its own unique challenges for countries in this category. As such, various international support measures (ISMs) have been put in place, or extended, to ensure smoother transitions and sustained developmental progress in the post-graduation phase.

Two key concerns for LDCs following graduation involve: preferential market access for export, and development assistance, such as concessional financing.

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Multilateral development banks

Getting the balance right between ideas and operations in Multilateral Development Banks


By Rabah Arezki, director of research at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), senior fellow at the Foundation for Studies and Research on International Development (FERDI) and Harvard Kennedy School, former Chief Economist and Vice President at the African Development Bank and former Chief Economist at the World Bank’s Middle East and North Africa region.


Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have been in the news a lot lately. Leaders have called upon them to step up and help solve some of the world’s most pressing problems such as climate change, the debt crisis and fragility. The discussion on increasing the lending volume committed by MDBs has been at the centre of the policy agenda. But to achieve impact, MDBs must get the balance right between ideas and operations. 

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Gender discriminations in social institutions Index - SIGI

Breaking the chains: how to overcome gender biases for true equality


By Pierre de Boisséson, Economist, and Hyeshin Park, Gender Programme Co-ordinator, OECD Development Centre


 We all have biases when it comes to gender roles. From pre-conceived ideas about the kinds of roles men and women take on at home to the types of jobs for which they are suited. Shockingly, a significant portion of the population believes that men should have more rights and opportunities than women. While easily overlooked, these outdated ideas actually have staggering socio-economic ripple effects – limiting women’s agency and costing societies billions, if not trillions, of dollars in lost GDP.

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Climate risk africa economy development matters

What does Climate Risk really mean for African economies?


By Anzetse Were, Development Economist and Senior Economist, FSD Kenya


Discussions on green and climate finance in Africa often dwell on two issues. The first is why it’s so difficult to scale-up this type of financing on the continent. The second is the issue of layered risk: some are not keen to layer ‘ESG’ risk on top of ‘Africa’ risk in investments.

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Africa sport investment development matters

Investir dans l’industrie du sport en Afrique : un levier de développement inexploité


Par Will Mbiakop, Président exécutif, African Sports and Creative Institute et Federico Bonaglia, Directeur adjoint, Centre de développement de l’OCDE


Le marché du sport représente aujourd’hui environ 5 % du PIB mondial, avec une croissance annuelle de 4 % à l’échelle mondiale entre 2015 et 2020. L’écrasante majorité de cette richesse est cependant concentrée en Amérique du Nord et en Europe, et certaines régions du globe restent sur la touche. Pour réaliser le potentiel inexploité de l’industrie du sport comme levier de développement en Afrique, il faut faire connaitre les opportunités économiques qu’elle recèle, tout en améliorant le cadre général de l’investissement, le sujet au cœur du rapport Dynamiques du développement en Afrique 2023 : Investir dans le développement durable.

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Net zero innovation development matters

Mission-oriented innovation: a suitable approach for just net zero transitions in the Global South?


By Benjamin Kumpf, Head of OECD Innovation for Development Facility, Leila Mucarsel, Doctoral Researcher and Lecturer in Transformative Innovation Policy at Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (Argentina) and Avilia Zavarella, Junior Innovation Specialist at OECD Innovation for Development Facility


In the face of the climate emergency, around 140 countries, which emit close to 90% of the global greenhouse gas emissions, are planning to reduce their emissions to as close to zero as possible (known as net zero) in the upcoming decades. Around a third of these are low and middle-income countries (LMICs),the countries most affected by climate change. So how can countries in the Global South achieve a socially-just transition? One key element is innovation, and potentially mission-oriented innovation.

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refugee climate environment development matters. Photo-Sebastien Goldberg-unsplash

No longer a blind spot: Climate change adaptation policies must address forced displacement


By Jason Gagnon, Head of Unit, Migration & Skills, OECD Development Centre and Jens Hesemann, Senior Policy Advisor, OECD Development Co-operation Directorate


A web of inter-linked factors force people to move. Among them, the effects of climate change have grown in importance since the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees was drawn up in 1951. In fact, people displaced by the effects of climate change are out of scope from the Convention.  

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Uzhhorod, Ukraine - February 26, 2022: Ukrainian refugees with things rush to the Slovak border fleeing Russian aggression against Ukraine

La comptabilisation des coûts des réfugiés dans l’aide publique au développement : ce qu’il faut savoir


Par Carsten Staur, Président du Comité d’aide au développement (CAD)


Pourquoi certains membres du CAD déclarent-ils une partie du coût de l’accueil des réfugiés dans leur propre pays comme aide publique au développement (APD) ? C’est une bonne question. Voici la réponse.

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Digital trade - least developed countries LDCs

After the pandemic storms, digital trade offers LDCs rays of sunshine


By Annette Ssemuwemba, Deputy Executive Director of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Executive Secretariat at the World Trade Organisation


The dark storm of the coronavirus pandemic came with a silver lining: new ways of providing services and doing business by leveraging e-commerce and other digital opportunities. Video conferencing apps enabled lessons or work to be accessed remotely; mobile apps delivered food, groceries, and medicines at the click of a button.

But silver linings don’t shine bright for all. Gaps in technology, infrastructure and skills, especially in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), highlighted the need to help entrepreneurs grasp the possibilities of digital transformation.

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À la jonction entre aide au développement et biens public mondiaux

À la jonction entre aide au développement et biens publics mondiaux


Par Kerri Elgar, Analyste principale des politiques, Direction de la coopération pour le développement, OCDE

Dans quelle mesure les budgets d’aide au développement devraient-ils être utilisés pour lutter contre le changement climatique, mettre au point des vaccins pouvant sauver des vies ou apporter un soutien aux réfugiés vivant dans des économies avancées ?

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