UNGA adopts resolution on graduation of Bangladesh from LDC

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The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has unanimously adopted the resolution on graduation of Bangladesh from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category.

With the adoption of this resolution, Bangladesh completes all the procedures to be graduated from the LDC category.

This is a landmark achievement in Bangladesh’s development journey, which coincides with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Speaking after the adoption of this landmark resolution on November 24, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, Ambassador Rabab Fatima thanked all the member states, especially the development partners, for their support to reach consensus for the adoption of this resolution.

She said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina envisioned transforming Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed country by 2041. She has led us from the front in this exciting journey despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic”.

Stressing that the graduation of an LDC is not only a success of the country itself but also a testimony of the strength of multilateral partnership led by the UN, Fatima said, “graduation should not be a punishment; it should be a reward.”

She highlighted the importance of ensuring an incentives-based international support structure to graduating and graduated LDCs.

She also called for tailored and clearly laid down roadmaps to address every aspect of graduation challenge, namely, post-graduation international support measures, smooth transition, financing for SDGs implementation etc.

She said that the upcoming 5th United Nations Conference on the LDCs (LDC5) to be held in Doha, Qatar provides the development partners a good opportunity to come up with a transformative programme of action for the LDCs for the next decade.

The Draft Doha Programme of Action (DPOA) identified graduation as one of its priority areas. It has set a target to enable 15 additional LDCs to meet the criteria for graduation by 2031. The success of this ambitious target will largely depend on enhanced support and solidarity from the development partners.

It is to be mentioned that Ambassador Rabab Fatima and Ambassador Robert Rae of Canada are co-chairing the preparatory process of the LDC5 conference.

Later, Rabab Fatima tweeted from New York on Wednesday evening (BD time) that, “What better way to celebrate 50th anniversary of our independence and birth centenary of Bangabandhu (Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman)”.

She said that it’s a fulfillment of national aspiration and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s vision 2021.

On November 24, The UNGA adopted the resolution on ‘Graduation of Bangladesh, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Nepal from the LDC category, according to the UN’s official website.

The three countries will graduate from the LDC category after an exceptionally extended preparatory period of five years (the standard period is of three years) to enable them to prepare for graduation while planning for a post-COVID-19 recovery and implementing policies and strategies to reverse the economic and social damage incurred by the COVID-19 shock, said the UN.