Press Release

Bhutan to graduate from the United Nations least developed countries category

The seventy-third session of the United Nations General Assembly on 13 December 2018 considered the report of the Economic and Social Council on graduation of Bhutan from the least developed countries (LDC) category at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The resolution for Bhutan’s graduation was endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly and Bhutan has officially entered into the preparatory period of five-years which will effectively conclude on 13 December 2023.

The Assembly took note of the endorsement by the Economic and Social Council of the recommendations of the Committee for Development Policy that Bhutan be graduated from the LDC category and that the Committee found reasonable the request made by Bhutan to align its effective graduation date with the end of the 12^th Five Year Plan in 2023. The Assembly also invited Bhutan to prepare, during the five-year period between the adoption of the resolution and its graduation from the LDC category, its national smooth-transition strategy, with the support of the United Nations system and in cooperation with its bilateral, regional and multilateral development and trading partners.

Bhutan has been categorized as a LDC since the establishment of this categorization by the United Nations General Assembly in 1971. Bhutan was first found eligible for graduation from the LDC category during the Triennial Review in 2015. During the triennial review of the list of LDCs undertaken in March 2018, the CDP decided to recommend to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) the graduation of Bhutan from LDC category.

The Royal Government of Bhutan welcomes the progression towards eventual graduation from the LDC category which is a testament to the achievements made by Bhutan in its socio-economic development and the fruitful collaboration with its development partners.

Bhutan’s 12th Five Year Plan will be the last plan as a LDC and shall address the last mile challenges in all sectors and ensure that Bhutan graduates on a sure footing with a strong economy.