Follow-up to the Fourth United Nations Conference
on the Least Developed Countries
A/RES/74/232
that the least developed countries have the most to gain from sustainable development
and utilizing the full skills and talents of their people, includin g women and girls;
37. Also recognizes that increasing participation, supporting the empowerment
of civil society, youth and women and strengthening collective action will contribute
to the eradication of poverty and the achievement of sustainable develop ment;
38. Congratulates those countries that have met the criteria for graduation
from least developed country status, notes with appreciation that several of the least
developed countries have expressed their intention to reach the status of graduation
by 2020, invites those countries to start the preparations for their graduation and
transition strategy, and requests all relevant organizations of the United Nations
system, led by the Office of the High Representative, to extend the necessary support
in this regard, in a coordinated manner;
39. Acknowledges that the graduation of a country symbolizes its considerable
long-term socioeconomic progress, prevailing over the structural handicaps to
socioeconomic development, and that it also presents many challenges for graduated
countries, which continue to face vulnerabilities to various shocks and crises;
40. Invites the least developed countries and development partners to integrate
graduation and smooth transition strategies into their respective national development
and aid strategies, as appropriate, including capacity-building and technical
assistance to diversify sources of financing;
41. Notes with appreciation that some development partners have extended
some of the benefits specific to the least developed countries to countries that have
graduated, taking into account the challenges that they continue to face, and invites
all development partners to strengthen their support for graduation and smooth
transition so that graduating and recently graduated countries can minimize disruption
in their development trajectory;
42. Invites countries that are found eligible for graduation to establish a
consultative mechanism, in line with General Assembly resolution 67/221, to prepare
the transition strategy as early as possible, engaging all relevant donors and
stakeholders;
43. Recognizes that the activities relating to the least developed countries
carried out within the Secretariat need to be further coord inated and consolidated in
order to ensure the effective monitoring and follow-up of the Istanbul Programme of
Action, led by the Office of the High Representative, and to provide well -coordinated
support to realizing the goal of enabling half of the least developed countries to meet
the criteria for graduation by 2020;
44. Welcomes the work of the Inter-Agency Consultative Group for Least
Developed Countries, led by the Office of the High Representative, notes the steps
taken by the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination and the
High-level Committee on Programmes in supporting the coordination and follow -up
of the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action on a system -wide basis,
and reiterates its invitation to the Secretary-General, in his capacity as Chair of the
Chief Executives Board, to include the implementation of the Programme of Action
in the agenda of the Board;
45. Welcomes and accepts with appreciation the generous offer of the
Government of Qatar to host the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least
Developed Countries in Doha;
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