Electric dreams • Inside Story
Laos is set to graduate from the UN's list of Least Developed Countries this November, marking a significant economic milestone. While the country has seen growth through infrastructure and resource extraction, it faces challenges as it loses international support measures.
Why it matters
Laos's transition provides a case study on the effectiveness of development models in Southeast Asia and the risks of relying on foreign investment.
On 24 November this year Laos reaches a milestone more than two decades in the making. The UN General Assembly will formally graduate the country from the ranks of the world’s Least Developed Countries, or LDCs. Only eight countries have ever made the transition out of LDC, and Laos has the added distinction of graduating ahead of fellow ASEAN countries Cambodia, Myanmar and Timor-Leste.
LDC status is determined according to three measures: per capita income, a Human Assets Index of health and education, and an Economic and Vulnerability Index. LDCs receive special support to overcome severe structural impediments to development. Of the world’s forty-four LDCs, eight are in Asia.
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