This report discusses issues of interest for Asia-Pacific least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS), collectively referred to as countries with special needs (CSN). This edition, with its theme of "poverty reduction and the role of structural transformation", offers an analytical background for the multidimensional context of poverty in CSN and examines policy recommendations on how structural transformation can contribute to sustainably reducing income poverty to assist countries to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.