On 26 October 2018 a new website for least developed countries (LDCs) will officially launch at UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Gradjet, developed by the UN Committee for Development Policy (CDP) Secretariat, will help government officials in LDCs understand what it means to leave the LDC category and to plot a course for future action. It is also aimed at the wider development community and anyone else interested in LDC graduation. Tailored to each country, showing what graduation means in context, the site shows what happens before, during and after leaving the category, with contacts, information and suggestions about what to do at each stage.

Driven by progress in economic and human development, up to 14 of the 47 LDCs may exit the category in coming years. In 2016, delegates at the Istanbul Programme of Action mid-term review in Antalya called for the creation of a tool to help governments understand the implications.

LDCs stand to lose several benefits delivered exclusively to members of the category – including trade preferences, a proportion of official development assistance, dedicated climate financing and other measures such as travel assistance and smaller contributions to the UN budget.

There is high demand for information on these issues to be centralized in one place, and for more guidance on how to approach the graduation process. Several graduating LDC governments have expressed concerns about adapting to the new post-LDC landscape. Some countries are looking forward to graduation as a sign of development progress and a chance to attract new investment.

“Gradjet is an exciting new development which we think will enormously benefit graduating countries in the years ahead,” says Roland Mollerus, Chief of the CDP Secretariat.

The site allows users to select a country from the drop-down menu to see relevant information, including a snapshot of that country’s LDC status and where the country stands in the LDC graduation process. A series of activities is suggested for each stage of graduation, and users are directed to relevant UN contacts if they need help. Relevant statistical sources and tools are also provided.

An innovative feature known as the ‘suitcase’ allows designated users to log in, save information, and download it when needed. For example, if a government officer wanted to create a policy brief for a Minister, she could save content such as the country snapshot, overview of the implications for international support, export composition and advice on how to consult stakeholders. This information can be downloaded as a Word document and edited as required.

A series of videos has been created specifically for Gradjet, including explainers on the LDC category, the Committee for Development Policy, and expert views.

The tool was developed during a series of consultative meetings with a select working group of concerned countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Lesotho, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste. The United Nations and other international entities also contributed, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, the International Trade Centre, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, and the World Trade Organisation.

The website, endorsed by the new United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on LDC graduation and smooth transition, represents a strong example of inter-agency collaboration on an important goal – and one which is central to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Link to Gradjet

Screenshot showing one country’s hypothetical suitcase: