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Lilongwe, Malawi ¨C 13 May 2026 ¨C The Government of Malawi , in partnership with the UN Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries, officially launched Malawi¡¯s Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) during a high-level event held at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe on 13 May 2026. The event convened senior government officials, development partners, academia, private sector representatives, civil society¡­

Gebze, T¨¹rkiye By Deodat Maharaj Earlier this month I attended the 2026 edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum hosted by Turkiye. It provided valuable object lessons on the importance of consolidating existing alliances, building new ones and the imperative of a new multilateralism. In an era defined by overlapping crises¡ªfrom climate change and geopolitical tensions to widening inequalities and rapid technological disruption, the question is no¡­

Held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 31 March to 1 April 2026, the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Mid-Term Review of the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (2022¨C2031) brought together governments and partners to assess progress and chart the way forward. Several of them including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal and the Solomon Islands are on the path to graduating from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category. The United Nations¡­

By Flaminia Maldi Colombo On 22 April 2026, the Republic of Uganda officially launched its Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) with the support of United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries. This marks an important step in translating national ambitions on science, technology and innovation (STI) into concrete development pathways. The TNA was launched by the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Uganda. Convened¡­

By Federica Irene Falomi & Flaminia Maldi Colombo As Least Developed Countries (LDCs) increasingly progress along the path toward graduation, strengthening productive capacities and building resilient economies has become a central priority. Today 17 LDCs stand at different stages of the graduation process, each navigating its own trajectory. Yet they share a common question: how to sustain progress through structural transformation and long-term¡­

By Deodat Maharaj Gebze, T¨¹rkiye Multilateralism as we know it is going through a seismic shift. Old alliances are being tested with clearly defined spheres of influence emerging. Whilst this represents a shock to the established world order, most wealthy countries will continue to fare well, though arguably with diminished geopolitical influence. However, the poorest and most vulnerable countries like the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and¡­

RIYADH/JEDDAH ¨C From 3 to 13 February 2026, the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries (UNTBLDC) conducted a high-level mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The mission aimed to strengthen South-South and Triangular cooperation, focusing on how science, technology, and innovation (STI) can be leveraged to accelerate development in the world¡¯s most vulnerable economies. A centerpiece of the mission was the "AI¡­

By Ousmane Bocoum, Programme Management Officer The vibrant streets of Conakry recently served as the beating heart of Africa¡¯s digital revolution. Last year, the Transform Africa Summit (TAS) turned the spotlight on Guinea, bringing together a powerhouse of innovators, policymakers, and change-makers. The Scale Was Impressive, but the Signal Was Bigger Under the theme "AI for Africa: Innovate Locally, Impact Globally," the 2025 edition of TAS¡­

By Deodat Maharaj Gebze, T¨¹rkiye The drivers of economic growth, innovation, and societal change are no longer solely wealthy nation-states and global institutional actors, but increasingly the technology companies. The so-called ¡°Magnificent Seven¡±¡ªNvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Tesla, and Alphabet (Google)¡ªnow dominate the global economy redefining traditional thinking of economic power and influence. By the end of 2025, these seven¡­

By Deodat Maharaj on the policy brief "Turning Artificial Intelligence into a Development Asset in Least Developed Countries" Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the global economy, yet Least Developed Countries (LDCs) risk being left behind at a critical moment. With 1.2 billion people but only a marginal share of global economic output, LDCs cannot afford to be passive participants in the AI revolution. The question is no longer¡­