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New York, 28 April 2026 - Graduation from the category of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is an important milestone—one that reflects years of progress, resilience, and sustained national effort. Yet for many countries, graduation also marks the beginning of a delicate transition. As preferential treatments and LDC-specific international support measures are gradually phased out, the risk of disruption remains real. Without careful planning and continued cooperation, development gains can be placed under strain.

Recognizing this critical juncture, United Nations Member States have established the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Smooth Transition for Countries Graduating from the LDC Category. Convened under the auspices of the UN General Assembly, the Working Group serves as a dedicated intergovernmental platform to strengthen the international community’s support for graduating and recently graduated countries during this pivotal phase.

The Working Group responds directly to calls in the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2022–2031, which underscores the importance of early action, enhanced monitoring, and predictable support to ensure that graduation is sustainable and irreversible. While graduation brings new opportunities for integration into the global economy, it must not result in abrupt losses of vital financial, technical, or trade-related assistance.

Mandated by the General Assembly through resolution 80/150 (15 December 2025), the Working Group is tasked with reviewing and updating existing UN smooth transition provisions. Its objective is to ensure that these frameworks are fit for purpose in a rapidly changing global context—one marked by economic uncertainty, climate vulnerability, external shocks, and evolving development pathways. The process is designed to be inclusive, transparent, and Member State–driven, allowing for diverse perspectives and experiences to shape forward-looking outcomes.

Through thematic discussions and substantive meetings led by the co-chairs Ambassadors da Cruz of Angola and Kalkku of Finland, the Working Group examines gaps in the current smooth transition framework and explores ways to enhance international cooperation. Particular attention is given to safeguarding development progress, supporting national transition strategies, and aligning UN support tools—such as monitoring mechanisms and facilities supporting graduation—with the realities faced by countries on the path beyond LDC status.

Equally important, the Working Group provides a space for graduating and recently graduated countries to share experiences, articulate challenges, and contribute actively to shaping solutions. By fostering dialogue among Member States, the UN system, and development partners, the process helps ensure that transition is not treated as a one time event, but as a continuum requiring sustained engagement.

Under Secretary General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Rabab Fatima, reaffirmed the UN system’s commitment to supporting smooth, sustainable transitions. “My Office, as secretariat of this Working Group, will remain fully at your disposal,” she emphasized. “Through the Inter Agency Task Force on Graduation, through iGRAD, and through a strengthened ‘One UN’ support on the ground, we will continue to mobilize the UN system to provide data, analysis and practical assistance for country driven, risk informed and forward looking smooth transition strategies.”

Highlighting the broader significance of the process, she added: “Let us seize this moment to make graduation a genuine milestone on the path to sustainable development – a gateway to greater opportunity, not heightened fragility.” She concluded by assuring Member States, “You can count on my full support and that of UN OHRLLS throughout your deliberations.”

Ultimately, the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group reflects a shared commitment: that no country should be left behind after graduation. By reinforcing predictability, partnership, and policy coherence, the Working Group helps transform graduation from a moment of vulnerability into a foundation for long term, inclusive, and sustainable development.

OHRLLS is proud to serve as the substantive secretariat to the Working Group.

Learn more about the Working Group, its mandate, and ongoing discussions: /ohrlls/ad-hoc-working-group-member-states-smooth-transition-countries-graduating-ldc-category