A developing country is a sovereign state with a less developed industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to other countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. There is also no clear agreement on which countries fit this category. The terms low and middle-income country (LMIC) and newly emerging economy (NEE) are often used interchangeably but refers only to the economy of the countries. The World Bank classifies the world's economies into four groups, based on gross national income per capita: high, upper-middle, lower-middle, and low income countries. Least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states are all sub-groupings of developing countries. Countries on the other end of the spectrum are usually referred to as high-income countries or developed countries.
The least developed countries (LDCs) are developing countries listed by the United Nations that exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development. The concept of LDCs originated in the late 1960s and the first group of LDCs was listed by the UN in its resolution 2768 (XXVI) on 18 November 1971.
From 1916 to 1975, Tuvalu was part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony of the United Kingdom. A referendum was held in 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a consequence of the referendum, the separate British colonies of Kiribati and Tuvalu were formed. Tuvalu became fully independent as a sovereign state within the Commonwealth on 1 October 1978. On 5 September 2000, Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations.
An island country, island state, or island nation is a country whose primary territory consists of one or more islands or parts of islands. Approximately 25% of all independent countries are island countries. Island countries are historically more stable than many continental states but are vulnerable to conquest by naval superpowers. Indonesia is the largest and most populated island country in the world.
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations system. UNITAR provides training and capacity development activities to assist mainly developing countries with special attention to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other groups and communities who are most vulnerable, including those in conflict situations.
Anwarul Karim Chowdhury is a Bangladeshi diplomat most noted for his work on development in the poorest nations, global peace and championing the rights of women and children. In a speech he gave in 2005, Chowdhury stated: "We should not forget that when women are marginalized, there is little chance for an open and participatory society." In his role as the leading United Nations Culture of Peace emissary, he said in May 2010 that peace efforts would continually fail until people embraced humanity's oneness.
Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is an intergovernmental organization of low-lying coastal and small island countries. AOSIS was established in 1990, ahead of the Second World Climate Conference. The main purpose of the alliance is to consolidate the voices of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to address global warming.
The landlocked developing countries (LLDC) are developing countries that are landlocked. Due to the economic and other disadvantages suffered by such countries, the majority of landlocked countries are least developed countries (LDCs), with inhabitants of these countries occupying the bottom billion tier of the world's population in terms of poverty. Outside of Europe, there is not a single highly developed landlocked country as measured by the Human Development Index (HDI), and nine of the twelve countries with the lowest HDI scores are landlocked. Landlocked European countries are exceptions in terms of development outcomes due to their close integration with the regional European market. Landlocked countries that rely on transoceanic trade usually suffer a cost of trade that is double that of their maritime neighbours. Landlocked countries experience economic growth 6% less than non-landlocked countries, holding other variables constant.
Dessima D Williams is a Grenadian diplomat and former Ambassador to the United Nations from Grenada who was reappointed to the ambassadorship in 2008. Since 2022 she has been President of the Senate.
Islands First is a non-governmental organization working on behalf of the Small Island Developing States to confront the challenges of climate change, the depletion of ocean resources, and ocean level's rise.
Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu is a Tongan civil servant, diplomat and Cabinet Minister currently serving as Tonga's Minister of Foreign Affairs. From 2005 to 2009 she was Tonga's permanent ambassador to the United Nations, and from 2017 to 2021 she was United Nations High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.
Cheick Sidi Diarra is a Malian diplomat.
Robert F. Van Lierop is a United States and ni-Vanuatu lawyer, diplomat, political activist, filmmaker, writer and photojournalist.
Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations in September 2000. Tuvalu is one of 14 states not recognising the People's Republic of China. The country has played a role in advocating for more ambitious international cooperation on mitigating climate change, given the country's vulnerability to its impacts.
A vulnerability index is a measure of the exposure of a population to some hazard. Typically, the index is a composite of multiple quantitative indicators that via some formula, delivers a single numerical result. Through such an index "diverse issues can be combined into a standardised framework...making comparisons possible". For instance, indicators from the physical sciences can be combined with social, medical and even psychological variables to evaluate potential complications for disaster planning.
The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) is an office of the United Nations Secretariat which deals with the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States. It was founded in 2001 by United Nations resolution 56/227.
The Sopoaga Ministry was the 14th ministry of the Government of Tuvalu, led by Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga. It succeeds the Telavi Ministry upon its swearing in by Governor-General Sir Iakoba Italeli on 5 August 2013.
The effects of climate change on small island countries are impacting people who live in coastal areas through sea level rise, increasing heavy rain events, tropical cyclones and storm surges. The effects of climate change threaten the existence of many island countries, island peoples and their cultures, and will alter their ecosystems and natural environments. Despite their heterogeneity, small island developing states (SIDS) are recognized as being particularly at risk to climate change. They share numerous common traits and have been quite vocal in calling attention to the challenges they face from climate change.
Walton Alfonso Webson is an Antiguan diplomat. He has served as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York of Antigua and Barbuda since 2014. He was President of the UNICEF Executive Board at the international level in 2017.
Thoriq Ibrahim is the current Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy ministry. He was appointed by President Mohamed Muizzo on 17 November 2023. Earlier, he served as the Minister of Environment and Energy from 19 Nov 2013 to 17 Nov 2018. Ibrahim acquired a bachelor's degree in engineering from Loughborough University of Technology in 1995, a master's degree in science from the National University of Singapore in 2002, and an MBA from Preston University in 2004. After finishing schooling, he took on a variety of engineering and project management work, most notably being the Project Director for the rebuilding nine houses that were damaged in the 2004 tsunami. He is also the chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States. Ibrahim has been outwardly critical of US President Donald Trump's 2017 decision to withdraw America from the Paris agreement to combat climate change.
