Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal, three of the four South Asian Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are in various stages of graduating from LDC status. So to ensure smooth graduation, a two-day regional workshop on ‘SDGs and Sustainable Graduation of South Asian LDC’ is underway in Thimphu.
Bhutan is expected to graduate by 2023, Nepal by 2021 and Bangladesh by 2024. Representatives from these three countries involved in preparation for LDC graduation are attending the workshop.
The workshop is aimed to assist these countries in preparing a roadmap for LDC graduation.
“The objective of this workshop is to bring all the policymakers, different stakeholders together to identify issues, priorities, challenges being faced by these countries. We have resources persons from all the UN agencies to discuss the issues that each country are facing in preparation for LDC graduations. Through this workshop we are expecting that countries will be more equipped to facilitate smooth LDC transaction,” Sonam Tenzin, the Director of the Department of Trade, MoEA, said.
The workshop will also discuss specific challenges faced by Bhutan and Nepal as landlocked LDC. It is organised the Department of Trade, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) in association with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP).
Choni Dema