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On 13 December 2023, Bhutan became the seventh country to graduate from the least developed country (LDC) category.
Bhutan deserves praise for embracing graduation despite setbacks due to the negative social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the global food, energy, finance and climate crises. The country has made significant progress in realizing its development goals. As stressed by the Rabab Fatima, UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), Bhutan's journey towards graduation presents important lessons for other LDCs, especially the small and landlocked LDCs in Africa, which are far behind in meeting the criteria for graduation.
Bhutan was recommended for graduation from the LDC category by the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) at its triennial review in March 2018, having met the graduation thresholds for the Human Assets Index (HAI) and income (GNI per capita) in 2015 and 2018. The CDP recommendation was approved by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in July 2018 and by the UN General Assembly in December 2018. Bhutan was granted a five-year preparatory period to align its graduation with the implementation of its twelfth national development plan, 2018-2023. The thirteenth development plan serves as the smooth transition strategy of the country.
