Nepal is scheduled to graduate on 24 November 2026 (see the General Assembly resolution here).

On 15 May 2026, the Government of Nepal requested an extension of the preparatory period for its graduation from the LDC category. In response, the CDP has initiated actions under the Crisis Response Process of the Enhanced Monitoring Mechanism, including the preparation of a crisis assessment.

Nepal's smooth transition strategy
CDP monitoring report for Nepal, 2025
Nepal's LDC fact sheet (CDP website) (includes CDP reports, ECOSOC and General Assembly resolutions, Nepal's performance against the graduation criteria, ex ante assessment of the impacts of graduation, vulnerability profile, country statements to the CDP)

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Documents on Nepal

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	Document Title	Topic	Date
	NTMs in Nepal: Existing and new issues in the wake of LDC graduation (CSS Working Paper No. 24-4. Bangkok: ESCAP) (Paras Kharel, Kshitiz Dahal, and Nyingtob Pema Norbu) "This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges posed by non-tariff measures (NTMs) on Nepal's trade, particularly in light of its upcoming graduation from the least developed country (LDC) status in 2026.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	31 July 2024
	Applying the GIFF to overcome barriers to structural transformation: the case of Nepal (Jiajun Xu, Chenyu Xu, Nyingtob Pema Norbu, UNESCAP) Synthesis report	Productive capacity, structural transformation, technology, innovation	01 May 2024
	Fostering Structural Transformation in Nepal (Paras Kharel, ESCAP) "Sustained and high economic growth has eluded Nepal. While the economy has undergone structural transformation in the last three decades the growth-enhancing effect of this structural change has had limited impacts contributing to a per-capita value added growth of 2% in the last two decades.	Productive capacity, structural transformation, technology, innovation	01 March 2024
	Applying the growth identification and facilitation framework to Nepal : 2023 update Working paper (Jiajun Xu, ESCAP) "This paper analyzes opportunities for growth in Nepal by applying the policy tool of New Structural Economics – Growth Identification and Facilitation Framework (GIFF).	Productive capacity, structural transformation, technology, innovation	01 March 2024
	Nepal LDC Graduation Smooth Transition Strategy The document contains Nepal's strategy for a smooth transition from the LDC category after graduation.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	02 February 2024
	Inclusive Digital Economy Scorecard (UNCDF) The Inclusive Digital Economy Scorecard (IDES) is a strategic performance and policy tool that has been developed to support countries in better understanding and monitoring the status of their digital transformation, with a view to helping them make it more inclusive.	Productive capacity, structural transformation, technology, innovation	02 August 2023
	Nepal’s graduation from the LDC category: Implications for international trade and development cooperation - SAWTEE The Government of Nepal (GoN) is in the process of formulating a transition strategy to ensure graduation is smooth, sustainable and irreversible.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	30 September 2022
	Graduation from LDC Status: Trade preference and development financing implications for Asia-Pacific countries Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in the Asia-Pacific region have generally demonstrated socioeconomic progress over the past decades, despite being among the most vulnerable and structurally disadvantaged countries.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	30 September 2022
	Opinion in Lead: Navigating post-graduation pharma landscape - Posh Raj Pandey for Sawtee With the right policy support, pharmaceutical industry in Nepal could be instrumental in meeting the country’s ‘access to medicine’-related targets while developing domestic manufacturing base.	Trade	07 July 2022
	Nepal after LDC Graduation: New avenues for exports - ITC in collaboration with UN-OHRLLS Nepal could lose 4.3% of exports because of tariff changes when it graduates from least developed country status in 2026. The removal of preferential tariffs will especially affect the apparel, synthetic textile fabric and carpet sectors.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	21 April 2022
	CDP Monitoring Reports - Nepal The CDP found that, despite fast growth in recent years, Nepal’s GNI per capita is still below the graduation threshold. The income growth was also hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially due to the large impacts on the tourism sector.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	28 February 2022
	Textiles and clothing in Asian graduating LDCs - Challenges and options. EIF, ITC, UNDESA, UNCTAD, WTO The textile and clothing sector in five Asian least developed countries (LDCs) — Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Nepal — makes heavy use of trade preferences for LDCs and is one of the main sectors likely to be impacted by graduation from the category.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	01 February 2022
	Nepal's exports after LDC graduation - Implications of tariff changes and compensatory strategies - ITC and UN-OHRLLS During the triennial review held by the United Nations Committee for Development Policy (CDP) in February 2021, Nepal was recommended for graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	30 January 2022
	Nepal's elusive quest for export success meets LDC graduation - Paras Kharel for SAWTEE Nepal is hurtling towards graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category with a low per capita income and meagre exports. This paper analyses the implications of graduation for Nepal's exports, and suggests measures that Nepal government should take to mitigate the adverse effects.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	31 December 2021
	Summary of the webinar on the implications of LDC graduation for the textiles and clothing sector, 7 May 2021 - WTO The WTO, in cooperation with ITC, UNCTAD and UNDESA, organized a webinar on 7 May 2021. It kicked off an inter-agency collaboration to undertake an in-depth sectoral study on the implications of LDC graduation for the textiles and clothing (T&C) sector.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	07 May 2021
	Towards Sustainable Graduation of South Asian LDCs in the aftermath of COVID-19: Challenges, Prospects and Policy Lessons - UNESCAP Policy Brief Prepared as part of the UNESCAP Framework on Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19, and also under UNESCAP’s mandate for supporting countries with special needs in the Asia-Pacific region, this paper points out that South Asian LDCs have important avenues and options to enhance preparedness for gradua	LDC graduation and smooth transition	15 October 2020
	Lessons from LDCs’ responses to COVID-19: From crisis to opportunities? - Ratnakar Adhikari for OECD Development matters Many least developed countries (LDCs) have not yet seen large numbers of COVID-19 cases – though there are notable exceptions such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sudan. Yet, all LDCs are confronting severe economic disruptions – and a major fiscal squeeze – from the global demand shock, su	COVID-19	06 July 2020
	UN/DESA Policy Brief #71: COVID-19 pandemic deals a huge blow to the manufacturing exports from LDCs The COVID-19 pandemic is yet to directly hit the least developed countries (LDCs), although most are already experiencing severe economic pain amid shutdowns, falling commodity prices and declining exports. LDCs are, on average, highly dependent on commodities.	Trade	14 May 2020
	MPFD Working Paper on Nepal's graduation from LDC: Potential implications and issues for consideration - Mohammad Razzaque for UNESCAP Nepal has achieved significant socio-economic progress despite being confronted by unfavourable conditions such as its being landlocked and susceptible to natural disasters.	LDC graduation and smooth transition	11 March 2020
	Improved assistance measures for graduated and graduating least developed countries for the achievement of agenda 2030 (CDP Policy Review No. 9; Ana L. Cortez) LDC graduation has become an increasingly important issue in the international development agenda. Meeting graduation eligibility is a major goal of the Istanbul Plan of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the decade 201-2020 (IPoA).	LDC graduation and smooth transition	30 September 2019

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