Mr President,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

We thank the Facilitator Sibella Stern (of Australia) for her very effective and constructive role in conducting the negotiations of this resolution.

Today, the European Union and its Member States are pleased to join consensus on the resolution on the extension of the preparatory period preceding the graduation of Angola from the least developed country (LDC) category.

Our support is based on the reasons presented by Angola, i.e. the effects of a protracted economic recession of six years and the impact of the global COVID-19 crisis, which has particularly detrimental consequences for LDCs.

We are aware of the particular challenges Angola faces in the context of its graduation from LDC status, notably the diversification of its economy and the reduction of inequalities. We acknowledge and fully support Angola’s intention to review and update its national development strategy, and look forward to a successful graduation in 2024. We also trust that the UN system will actively support Angola’s work on its national smooth transition strategy, and we welcome the language included in the Resolution in this regard.

The objective of a successful and sustainable development process is shared by the international community, which sees graduation as an achievement on the road towards fulfilling the 2030 Agenda.

The European Union will continue to support Angola in its journey to graduation and beyond, from a sustainable development and trade perspective, and by maintaining a close political dialogue.