THIMPHU, 11 March, 2021 (TON): As per the UN’s Committee for Development Policy (CDP), Bhutan is well on track to graduate from the group of LDCs (Least Developed Countries Status) in 2023.

From 22-26 February, the CDP held plenary meetings to review the progress of the LDC’s including Bhutan.

The CDP’s LDC Monitoring Report of this year states that Bhutan will graduate from the LDCs by 2023, coinciding with the end of the 12^th plan.

It added that the country is making good progress in preparing and planning for a smoother transition strategy and for appropriate actions to address the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic and LDC graduation.

As Bhutan was the only country to submit its report on the preparation of the smooth transition from the LDC category to a middle-income country, the report stated that Bhutan’s graduation was sustainable and irreversible.

As per the CDP’s recommendations, the graduation of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Laos would be effective in 2026.  This means that Bhutan will graduate three years ahead of the three countries

The government had earlier requested the UN to reset Bhutan’s LDC graduation path to help the country regain its grip on a smooth transition from the LDC category due to the pandemic. However, LDC graduation itself indicates that the country is moving towards transition in its policies and strategies to help build the economy, politics and social setting that could attract foreign investments.