51勛圖

Support for graduation and a smooth transition

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Various UN entities provide specific support to the graduation processes of LDCs, in the form of training, workshops, studies and support for the development of smooth transition strategies (see the guidance note on smooth transition strategies here; also in Bengali, Lao, Portuguese). See more information on iGrad (Sustainable Graduation Support Facility) here.

Among measures by UN entities and related organizations to support countries to ensure a smooth transition:

Support for smooth transition is based on resolutions by the General Assembly and by successive programmes of action for LDCs including the Doha Programme of Action:

  •  states that graduating countries can request the assistance of the UN system to prepare a transition strategy to adjust to the eventual phasing out of LDC-specific international support measures. It further requests the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) to monitor the development progress of the graduated country as a complement to its triennial review of the list of LDCs and to report thereon to the Economic and Social Council.
  • Subsequently, the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020 adopted by the IV UN Conference on the LDCs (Istanbul, 9-13 May 2011) envisaged the creation of an ad-hoc working group to further study and strengthen the smooth transition process. 
  • On 21 December 2012, the General Assembly adopted the  (67/221), which endorses several of the recommendations put forward by the ad-hoc working group and clarifies several aspects of the smooth transition process including the required actions by graduating countries and their development and trading partners and the nature of support extended by the UN during this process. It also provides guidelines on the phasing out of some LDC-specific international support measures.
  • The Doha Programme of Action, adopted in 2022 contains several provisions and references to graduation and a smooth transition, and welcomed the establishment of iGrad (Sustainable Graduation Support Facility).

Some organizations have specific programmes to support graduating countries: