Our Mandate
The General Assembly created UN-OHRLLS in December 2001 under Resolution 56/227, giving it a clear brief: represent the interests of the countries that face the steepest development obstacles.
Situated within the United Nations Secretariat, the office works to rally global attention, secure funding, and press for concrete policy action on behalf of these nations.
UN-OHRLLS speaks for three categories of vulnerable nations, working to keep their particular development hurdles on the global agenda and to channel political backing and financial resources where they are needed most.
Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
The office directs its attention to the 45 least developed countries, where poverty and limited institutional capacity remain deeply entrenched. It drives the roll-out of the Doha Programme of Action, feeds progress reviews to the UN Economic and Social Council, and campaigns for the financial commitments these economies need to build stronger productive bases.
Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs)
The 32 landlocked developing countries pay a steep price for having no coastline: higher shipping costs, weaker transport links, and thinner trade volumes. UN-OHRLLS steers the follow-up to the Vienna Programme of Action, tackling these logistical disadvantages head-on and pushing for infrastructure and transit agreements that can lower the cost of doing business.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
For the 39 small island developing states, UN-OHRLLS pulls together the wider UN system behind the SAMOA Pathway, the principal policy blueprint for island development. The office presses donor governments and multilateral bodies for funding, and brings countries to the table on shared priorities such as climate adaptation, healthy oceans, and broadening their economic foundations.
Leadership
Six High Representatives have headed UN-OHRLLS since its founding, each drawing on different professional backgrounds and regional insights to keep the office effective.
The office is currently led by Rabab Fatima of Bangladesh, who took up the post in 2022. Holding the rank of Under-Secretary-General, she oversees the coordination of global backing for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS, shapes policy agendas, and ensures these countries have a voice in senior United Nations forums.
Core Functions
- Programme delivery and tracking — Oversees the roll-out of programmes of action and checks whether milestones are being met
- Progress reporting — Feeds data and analysis into UN Economic and Social Council reviews so that gaps are identified early
- Global advocacy — Builds political momentum and gathers financial support for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS across multilateral forums
- Transit and trade access — Works on practical solutions to the high transport costs and border-crossing hurdles that landlocked countries face
- Climate and environmental resilience — Pushes for stronger adaptation plans and sustainability strategies tailored to island nations
- Partnership building — Brings together member states, development agencies, and international bodies for joint planning and action
Establishment and History
By the late 1990s it was clear that the most disadvantaged countries needed a permanent institutional champion inside the United Nations, not just periodic conferences. The General Assembly acted on that conviction with Resolution 56/227 in 2001, drawing on decades of earlier frameworks aimed at least developed countries.
Over the years the office's scope widened to cover landlocked developing countries and small island developing states as well, acknowledging that geographic and economic handicaps come in different forms and demand tailored responses.
A succession of agreed blueprints traces that expanding remit — from the Brussels Programme of Action through the Istanbul Programme of Action to the current Doha Programme of Action for LDCs; from the Almaty to the Vienna Programme of Action for LLDCs; and from the Barbados Programme of Action to the SAMOA Pathway for SIDS. Each framework has kept the international community's commitments to these countries on a continuous track.