29 June 2011: The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution to ensure that Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have a smooth transition when graduating from that status. Two small island developing States (SIDS) that recently graduated from LDC status will be eligible to receive continued support for travel, in an effort to ensure that graduation does not disrupt the development progress already achieved.

In the resolution (document A/65/L.66/Rev.1) adopted on 29 June 2011, the Assembly decided to extend the benefit of travel-related support for LDCs, if requested, within existing resources, to Cape Verde and the Maldives, for a period “appropriate to the development situation of the country” and for a maximum of three years. The same benefit will be granted to any other graduating country, on request and within existing resources.

The Maldives said the resolution was a step forward in furthering the commitment to the Istanbul Programme of Action. According to the resolution, States have committed to enabling half of the world’s 48 LDCs to meet the criteria to graduate from that status by 2020. Ten of those 48 LDCs are SIDS, now that Cape Verde and the Maldives have graduated. [Summary of Meeting]