UN General Assembly
2012

to its high exposure and weak coping capacities. The findings of that report are critical, and we therefore ask that the United Nations Committee for Development Policy carefully weigh its arguments and reassess the vulnerability graduation criteria. I would also like to state that, prior to another triennial review of the least developed country (LDC) category, the United Nations will need to ensure that proper resolutions are adopted by the General Assembly to ensure that small island States graduating from LDC status continue to enjoy certain preferential treatment, even after graduation, to offset the vulnerability factor. Let me take this opportunity to invite the members of the triennial review to visit my country to establish first-hand information and ascertain the findings of the World Risk Report prior to escalating the process of graduation in 2013. Our own experience has shown that the different ways that multilateral organizations and institutions categorize member countries can affect the f low of development assistance. For instance, Vanuatu, together with 15 other countries, was selected several years ago