Mr Thongsavan Phomvihane represents Laos at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Govt reaffirms Laos’ 2026 graduation from Least Developed Country status

Laos has reaffirmed its commitment to official graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by the end of this year, while seeking support to strengthen the economy beyond graduation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Thongsavan Phomvihane reiterated the government’s firm desire to transition out of LDC status during a meeting with United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Ms Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 25.
He said Laos was fully prepared to formally graduate from LDC status in 2026, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Laos is scheduled to make the transition by the end of this year.
The United Nations assesses countries using three main criteria: gross national income per capita, the Human Assets Index, and the Economic and Environmental Vulnerability Index.
In the 2024 United Nations review, Laos recorded gross national income per capita of US$2,503, well above the graduation threshold of US$1,306. Its Human Assets Index stood at 74.8, compared with the required minimum of 66, while its Economic and Environmental Vulnerability Index was 29.8, below the maximum threshold of 32.
Laos first met two of the three graduation criteria in 2018, reaching the required levels for income and human assets. By 2021, it had fulfilled all three criteria, marking a major step towards graduation.
To prepare for the transition, the government has formulated a Smooth Transition Strategy covering 2026 and beyond.
The strategy has been incorporated into the 10th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2026-2030, linking the graduation process with the government’s wider development priorities.
During his meeting with Ms Fatima, Mr Thongsavan called on the United Nations and other development partners to continue supporting Laos through the Sustainable Graduation Support Facility, known as iGRAD.
On the same occasion, Mr Thongsavan also met UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, with both sides highlighting their cooperation and the adoption of the UNICEF Country Programme Document for 2027-2031.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed the importance of continued UNICEF support in maintaining and improving Laos’ Human Assets Index, particularly in the fields of health, education, and improved nutrition for women and children.
The focus on human development is significant because improvements in human assets helped Laos meet the LDC graduation criteria. Continued progress in these areas will remain important as the country moves into the post-graduation period.
Beyond the talks on LDC transition, Mr Thongsavan attended the 50th Annual Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Group of 77 and spoke at a high-level meeting marking the fifth anniversary of China’s Global Development Initiative.
He highlighted three principles for development cooperation, saying cooperation must align with the genuine priorities and needs of each country, strengthen South-South cooperation, and accelerate the long-term capacity building of personnel in developing countries.
He affirmed that Laos would pursue projects under the Global Development Initiative while working towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Anouparb Vongnorkeo held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The two sides agreed to organise reciprocal visits by government delegations and expand cooperation in economic affairs, trade, investment and tourism. They also agreed to support each other at regional and international forums.
In other discussions, the Lao delegation raised public health concerns at a high-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, calling for equitable access to vaccines, information-sharing, and stronger cross-border disease surveillance.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update September 28, 2026)