A/RES/73/133 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 21 December 2018 Seventy-third session Agenda item 9 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 13 December 2018 [without reference to a Main Committee (A/73/L.40/Rev.1)] 73/133. Graduation of countries from the least developed country category The General Assembly, Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 2018/27 of 24 July 2018 on the report of the Committee for Development Policy on its twentieth session, Taking into account its resolutions 59/209 of 20 December 2004, 65/286 of 29 June 2011 and 67/221 of 21 December 2012 on a smooth transition for countries graduating from the list of least developed countries, Recalling paragraph 10 of its resolution 67/221, in which it decided to take note of the decisions of the Council regarding the graduation of cou ntries from the least developed country category, as well as the inclusion of countries in that category, at the first session of the General Assembly following the adoption of the decisions, Emphasizing that graduation from the least developed country category is a major milestone for the country involved as it means that significant progress has been made towards reaching at least some of its development goals, 1. Reaffirms that graduating from the category of least developed countries should not result in a disruption of development plans, programmes and projects; 2. Takes note of the endorsement by the Economic and Social Council of the recommendation of the Committee for Development Policy that Bhutan be graduated from the least developed country category, also takes note of the fact that the Committee found reasonable the request by Bhutan to align the effective graduation date with the end of the country’s twelfth national development plan, in 2023, and decides to provide Bhutan, on an exceptional basis, with an additional preparatory period of two years before the start of the three-year preparatory period leading to graduation; 3. Invites Bhutan to prepare, during the five-year period between the adoption of the present resolution and its graduation from the least developed country category, its national smooth-transition strategy, with the support of the United 18-21868 (E) 261218 *1821868*

Select target paragraph3