UN General Assembly
2023

Vanuatu graduated from least developed country (LDC) status in 2020. Our Government is working actively to implement a smooth transition strategy, with support from our development partners, in order to minimize any negative impacts of graduation. The focus of our transition extends from simply mitigating the loss of existing LDC support measures to negotiating new ways of thinking about how we move forward and of working with trade and development partners to achieve our national development aspirations. As we look ahead to the future we want, we must picture a world of freedom, one that is free from colonial rule, persecution and human rights abuses. Seventeen non-self-governing territories still remain under the purview of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee today, and accelerating the decolonization agenda is critical. It is a process that must be guided by the aspirations and needs of the territories on a case-by- case basis, and constructive dialogue is essential. The consent of the territories is valid, and we must ensure that there is space at the United Nations for their voices to be heard.