India, Feb. 10 -- Services now account for nearly half of economic output in least developed countries

Most new jobs remain informal, low-productivity and poorly paid

Weak links to industry, exports and technology limit development gains

Skills gaps and digital divides hold back higher-value services growth

Services are now a major source of growth and employment across the world's least developed countries (LDC), but the expansion has yet to translate into higher productivity, rising incomes or broad-based development, a new United Nations report has found.

The Least Developed Countries Report 2025, released by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said services account for nearly half of economic output in the averag...