Prime Minister Bob Loughman Weibur announced today that the United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Vanuatu LDC graduation Resolution.
According to the resolution, Vanuatu graduates out of Least Developed Country (LDC) category to developing category with deferment of all International Support Measures for five years.
The Seventy-fifth session of the United Nation General Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to the process of Vanuatu’s graduation from least developed country status and to encourage smooth transition measures for graduating countries beyond graduation and towards achieving sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“Our development journey has never been better. In the midst of the global pandemic and our relentless pursuit to recover from TC Harold, it has not been easy to decide whether Vanuatu should graduate or not, out of the LDC status. With much deliberation, the Government took a bold step to be an example to the UN family, that we are strong and resilient despite the natural characteristics of our existence. We informed the UN of Vanuatu’s intention to graduate and seek support from the international community for deferment of International Support Measures to 4th of December, 2025. We made this request to give ample time for Vanuatu to implement its smooth transition strategy and fully recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and TC Harold," the PM said.
“Today we achieved another milestone. All credits to the LDC National Coordinating Committee (NCC), the Government and our Ambassador in New York for successful negotiations of our resolution, which leads to a favourable outcome by the General Assembly (GA). This decision by the General Assembly is consistent with messages delivered by the Government to the nation during our 40th independence anniversary and most recently on the graduation day”.
“This is something never done before at the UN and has now set precedence for the graduating LDCs yet to come. So all in all, Vanuatu is making history at the UN and setting an example for the whole LDC family. Our graduation reflects a very strong commitment of the Government to progressing in sustainable development, improving institutional and productive capacity, and creating an effective business climate”.
“We join the UNGA, to invite bilateral, regional and multilateral development and trading partners to continue to provide full support to the implementation of the Vanuatu smooth transition strategy, including by extending international support measures, in particular those related to trade, as appropriate, aid for trade and participation in international forum, until 4 December 2025”.
“Our graduation just marks the end of one stage of our development journey - and now we start the next phase. We will face difficult challenges ahead, but we will get through them if we continue to work together as one nation. We are always stronger when we are working together. So let us stand together united and proud, today and always,” PM Loughman said.