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Graduation from the LDC category

Identification of Eligible Countries

  • The CDP reviews the list of LDCs and makes recommendations for inclusion in and graduation from the category every three years
  • These recommendations are not exclusively based on the criteria scores, complementary country-specific information (DESA impact assessment, UNCTAD vulnerability profile) and the views of the government are also taken into account
  • The graduation thresholds, as determined by the CDP, must be met for any two of the three criteria in two consecutive triennial reviews
  • On an exceptional basis, if the GNI per capita of the country is at least twice the graduation threshold in two consecutive triennial reviews; starting at the 2024 triennial review the GNI per capita has to be at least three times the graduation threshold

Graduation Thresholds: 2024 Triennial Review

Gross National Income (GNI) per capita

Human Assets Index (HAI)

Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI)
GNI per capita: $1,306 or above Income-only: $3,918 or above 66 or above 32 or below

Time frame of the eligibility procedure

Year 0 (first triennial review) CDP Finds country eligible for the first time (eligibility needs to be reconfirmed at the next triennial review)
DESA Notifies the country of the first finding
Between years 0 and 3 (between first and second triennial review) UNCTAD Prepares a vulnerability profile and provides a draft to the country
DESA Prepares an ex ante impact assessment and provides a draft to the country
CDP Secretariat Consolidates United Nations inputs into graduation assessment (piloted upon CDP request since 2019)
Country ● Initiates preparation for possible graduation (early start of preparations recommended by CDP since 2018) • Establishes or uses existing consultative mechanism with development and trading partners • Initiates work on smooth transition strategy ● Provides comments on the draft documents and preliminary data prepared by UN entities
Year 3 (second triennial review) CDP ● Confirms eligibility (second finding) ● Recommends country, taking into account LDC criteria and additional information (supplementary graduation indicators, graduation assessment and related documents, country statements) ● Recommendation includes statement on length of preparatory period (standard – 3 years, extended – up to 5 years) as well suggestions for priorities and type of support needed to ensure a smooth transition
ECOSOC Endorses the CDP recommendation
General Assembly Takes note of the CDP recommendation
Between years 3 and 6* Graduating Country ● Finalizes smooth transition strategy ● Reports to the CDP on the preparation of the strategy
UNRCO Facilitates consultative mechanism; provides support on transition strategy upon request
UN System Provides targeted assistance and capacity-building upon request, coordinated by Inter-Agency Task Force
Development and trading partners Participate in consultative mechanism and provide support as agreed
CDP Monitors development progress of the country during the period; reports findings annually to ECOSOC
Year 6* Graduation becomes effective, country is no longer in the LDC category
After year 6* (after graduation) Graduated country ● Implements and monitors the transition strategy ● Submits to the CDP progress reports on its implementation annually for the first three years after graduation, and triennially at two triennial reviews
Development and trading partners ● Support the implementation of the transition strategy ● Avoid abrupt reduction of LDC-specific support
CDP Monitors development progress of graduated country; reports its findings to ECOSOC annually for the first three years after the country’s graduation, and triennially at two triennial reviews afterwards

* Year indicates standard length of preparatory period applied, exact date will be determined by the General Assembly

Impact Assessment

  • Focuses on expected implications of loss of LDC status and LDC specific support measures
  • Counts on inputs from the country and its development and trading partners

Vulnerability Profile

  • Provides a background of the country’s economic and development situation
  • Compares values of indicators used in the triennial review with relevant national statistics
  • Assesses vulnerabilities faced by the country not covered by the EVI
  • Identifies other structural features of relevance for the graduation decision

Timeline of country’s graduation from the LDC category

2029 Cambodia*, Senegal*
2027 Solomon Islands*
2026 Bangladesh*, Lao People’s Democratic Republic*, Nepal*
2024 São Tomé and Príncipe
2023 Bhutan
2020 Vanuatu
2017 Equatorial Guinea
2014 Samoa
2012 South Sudan
2011 Maldives
2007 Cabo Verde
2003 Timor-Leste
2000 Senegal
1994 Botswana Angola, Eritrea
1991 Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Solomon Islands, Zambia
1990 Liberia
1988 Mozambique
1987 Myanmar
1986 Kiribati, Mauritania, Tuvalu
1985 Vanuatu
1982 Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Togo
1981 Guinea-Bissau
1977 Cabo Verde, Comoros
1975 Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Gambia
1971 Afghanistan, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Ethiopia, Guinea, Haiti, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen

* Scheduled for graduation

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