UN Under-Secretary-General: Cambodia on Track to Graduate from Least Developed Country Status by 2029
UN Under-Secretary-General: Cambodia on Track to Graduate from Least Developed Country Status by 2029
On the morning of 1 April 2026, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, received a courtesy call from H.E. Ms. Rabab Fatima, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States, at the Peace Palace.
During the meeting, H.E. Ms. Rabab Fatima expressed her sincere appreciation to the Royal Government of Cambodia for hosting the Asia-Pacific Regional Mid-term Review of the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA). She commended Cambodia’s rapid progress and highly valued its implementation of national development plans and heritage conservation efforts. The Under-Secretary-General reaffirmed the United Nations’ continued commitment to supporting Cambodia’s graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status, noting the establishment of an ad-hoc UN task force to facilitate this transition. She further highlighted that Cambodia has met the criteria for LDC graduation in two consecutive reviews and confirmed that the country remains on track to graduate by 2029.
In response, Samdech Thipadei expressed his appreciation to Her Excellency and her delegation for participating in the Asia-Pacific Regional Mid-term Review of the DPoA hosted by Cambodia. He conveyed his gratitude to the United Nations for its contributions to Cambodia’s reconstruction, recovery, and socio-economic development. Samdech Thipadei welcomed the establishment of the UN task force and underscored that the Royal Government of Cambodia has adopted practical and forward-looking measures to strengthen national resilience under the Pentagonal Strategy – Phase I. These measures include prioritising human capital development; introducing reforms in education, healthcare, and technical and vocational training; strengthening the financial system in line with global technological developments; and promoting partnerships with the private sector. He further emphasised that Cambodia will continue to work closely with the United Nations within the framework of peace and broader areas of cooperation.
SP-STPM Unofficial Translation
