Life after graduation

Nepal must consider several moves to prevent graduation from becoming a trade catastrophe.

Nepal is slated to be elevated to a developing country from a least developed country (LDC) in 2026. The United Nations has set down three major criteria to be eligible for promotion: (a) A per capita income of $1,222 or above, (b) A human assets index of 66 or above, and (c) An economic and environmental vulnerability index of 32 or below. Two other Asian countries—Bangladesh and Laos—are also poised to graduate in 2026.