Senior and junior academics and experts from international organizations and NGOs are invited to submit paper proposals for the Achieving Sustainable Development in the Least Developed Countries Conference 2020 to be held 15-16 October in Helsinki, Finland.

The Helsinki conference will bring together members of the academic community, policymakers and practitioners to solicit new thinking on the challenges and policy recommendations for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for the next decade.

The conference organizers are calling for papers addressing the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in LDCs. Proposed papers should be analytical in nature and offer concrete policy recommendations to provide policymakers with the latest analysis and suggestions for moving forward. Analysis should be based on the most recent and relevant data, identify key trends across the LDC group or in countries in similar situations, and propose responses relevant to LDCs. Papers related to ongoing research projects are welcome. Co-authored and multidisciplinary papers are also welcome.

The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) is organizing the conference in collaboration with UNU-WIDER and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). This conference will provide an input to the Fifth LDC Conference (LDC-V) that will be held in 2021.

The organizers have publication plans for the presented papers. The precise format of publication will be announced at a later stage. In addition, all received papers will be published on the OHRLLS website and also featured on a dedicated LDC-V conference website.

OHRLLS will endeavor to provide funding for travel and accommodation costs related to the participation to the conference for LDCs researchers presenting a paper at the conference.

Submit by December 18, 2019.

See the UNU-WIDER call webpage or download the full call for papers for more about this opportunity, including the conference themes, paper format, and how to submit an application.

For information or questions about this opportunity, please contact the organizers directly.