In Focus

Last Mile Finance for What?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides an unprecedented opportunity for public and private partners to recommit to LDCs in their pursuit of graduation through equitable and sustainable growth patterns.

As an international support measure for the LDCs, UNCDF has a critical role to play in demonstrating how blended finance models can attract productive investment for transformative change in the local economic space.

UNCDF's work seeks to address development issues considered critical to extreme poverty eradication in the LDCs within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These issues are articulated in the State of the LDCs Report 2014 from the UN Office of the High Representative for the LDCs. They include increasing productive capacity through infrastructure, energy, industrialization and sustainable agriculture, setting the stage for structural transformation while leading to greater employment and capital formation.

In that regard, UNCDF has identified five thematic windows which represent areas where UNCDF has already proven concept of workable public/private finance models relevant to 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They build on previously established and/or evolving partnerships with UNDP, other UN system partners, and international development banks, and across the public and private spheres. These thematic windows are underpinned and operationalized through UNCDF’s existing global, regional and country programme architecture.

Green Economy

helping reduce the vulnerability of local communities to climate change and lead to the sustainable use of resources

Read more

Food Security and Nutrition

helping farmers reduce their risks through adapted financial products and improving local food systems

Read more

Economic Empowerment of Women and Youth

addressing the economic empowerment of women and youth

Read more

Infrastructure and Services

unlocking public and private investments for local infrastructure with high local economic development impact

Read more

Financial Inclusion and Innovation

supporting digital finance innovations to reach unbanked, poor and remote populations

Read more

Country Expansion

increasing UNCDF’s coverage to more LDCs

Read more

Stay Connected