International Day of Awareness of the Special Development Needs and Challenges of LLDCs

The United Nations Secretary-General Guterres calls for action in the fields of: Economic Diversification and Digital Transformation :  Invest in value-added industries, local innovation, and inclusive growth Bridge the digital divide to unlock AI, e-commerce, and smart logistics Trade, Transit and Regional  Connectivity :  Upgrade infrastructure and simplify cross-border procedures Integrate LLDCs into global value chains and reform trade systems Climate Action and Resilience :  Double adaptation finance and build climate-resilient infrastructure Support LLDCs in green transitions with technology and partnerships Financing and Partnerships :  Reform global financial systems to ensure fair, accessible funding Scale concessional finance and unlock climate investment at speed Geography shouldn’t define destiny. Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country in Central Asia. It shares borders with China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and has no direct access to the s...

Breaking down barriers and restoring fairness in global development should be the goal of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, Secretary-General António Guterres said at its opening in Awaza, Turkmenistan, on Tuesday. Urging global leaders to rethink development for landlocked nations , the UN chief declared: “ We gather today to reaffirm a fundamental truth: geography should never define destiny . ” According to the UN Development Programme, of the 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) worldwide, 16 are in Africa, 10 in Asia, four in Europe, and two in Latin America. Together, they are home to over 500 million people.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Guterres outlined the “ daunting challenges ” LLDCs continue to face – steep barriers to trade, high transport costs, and limited access to global markets. He warned that the debt burden of these countries has reached “ dangerous and unsustainable levels. ” Although LLDCs account for seven per cent of the world’s population, they represent just over one percent of global economic output and trade. “ This is a stark example of deep inequalities that perpetuate marginalization, ” said the Secretary-General, attributing this to “ an unfair global economic and financial architecture that does not reflect the realities of today’s interconnected world” , as well as to the legacy of colonialism.

  The task before the conference, known as LLDC3 and running in Awaza through Friday, is to find solutions to these challenges. “ LLDC3 is about launching a new decade of ambition – through the Awaza Programme of Action and its deliverables – and fully unlocking the development potential of landlocked developing countries,” said Mr. Guterres. Adopted by the United Nation General Assembly in December 2024, that action plan represents a renewed and strengthened global commitment to support LLDCs’ development aspirations .

“ The success of landlocked developing countries is essential to the success of the 2030 Agenda , ” Mr. Guterres stressed. “ We have the knowledge, and we have the tools … Together, we can transform geography from a barrier to a bridge – connecting not just markets, but the peoples and cultures that give meaning to development. ” Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Guterres emphasized that the conference reflects a new era of cooperation taking shape across Central Asia – one grounded in mutual trust, shared priorities, and growing regional solidarity. "At a time when multilateral cooperation is being tested, this spirit of partnership is more essential than ever," he said

  The session opened with a welcome from Turkmenistan’s President, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who highlighted national initiatives to strengthen international cooperation in healthcare, climate action, and environmental protection. He also drew attention to regional challenges such as the drying of the Aral Sea and falling water levels in the Caspian Sea, which is the world’s largest enclosed body of water and the setting for the Third UN LLDC Conference . In his remarks , UN General Assembly President Philémon Yang noted the “rapidly approaching deadline for the 2030 Agenda” and called for decisive action and a renewed commitment to multilateralism and foundational values. He emphasized that the three pillars of the UN Charter – peace, development, and human dignity – must remain at the heart of all efforts, and that actions must reflect the promise to leave no one behind. Noting LLDCs’ vulnerability to climate change and structural challenges, Mr. Yang said these countries “must n...

Also addressing the opening session, Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the United Nations conomic and Social Council , said LLDC3 is “a pivotal moment” for the 32 landlocked nations striving to overcome structural barriers to development. Hailing from Nepal, which is both landlocked and least developed, he emphasized that the Awaza Programme of Action must serve as a “bold, ambitious, actionable, and future-oriented blueprint” to turn vulnerability into opportunity for over 570 million people. Mr. Thapa underscored the urgency of addressing the “growing complexity, scale and urgency” of challenges facing LLDCs, including debt distress, climate impacts, and infrastructure gaps. Mr. Thapa urged the creation of an infrastructure investment facility for LLDCs, along with scaled-up climate finance, increased concessional resources, and accelerated technology transfer. He also stressed the importance of regional cooperation and sustainable transport, praised Turkmenistan’s leadership, and rea...

On August 6th, we mark the first-ever observance of the  International Day of Awareness of the Special Development Needs and Challenges of Landlocked Developing Countries  (LLDCs) We are at a pivotal moment. LLDCs are home to over 600 million people who face compounded challenges due to lack of sea access, geographical isolation, and trade costs that are 30% higher than those of coastal countries. Without direct access to maritime trade routes, LLDCs are heavily dependent on neighboring transit countries—many of which are developing economies themselves—for their connection to the global economy. The consequences are stark: Transport delays and high costs undermine economic growth and food security. Export opportunities diminish while foreign investment dwindles. Over 40% of urban LLDC populations live in slums, and rates of undernourishment are more than twice the global average. 16 of the 32 LLDCs are also classified as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), facing overlappi...

The United Nations General Assembly by the resolution A/79/L.108  proclaimed August 6th as  International Day of Awareness of the Special Development Needs and Challenges of Landlocked Developing Countries  to spotlight the structural inequalities faced by 32 landlocked developing nations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.  

This event is intended to brief the media on the establishment of the negotiating group under the UNFCC, which is the first tangible deliverable of this Awaza Programme of Action (APoA). This event is intended to brief the media on the establishment of the negotiating group under the UNFCC, which is the first tangible deliverable of this Awaza Programme of Action (APoA). Description This event is intended to brief the media on the establishment of a LLDC negotiating group under the UNFCC, which is the first tangible deliverable of this Awaza Programme of Action (APoA) - and a critical step toward ensuring that the specific vulnerabilities of the LLDCs are reflected in global climate decision making. Speakers: Rabab Fatima, Secretary-General of the Conference, USG and High Rep for OHRLLS Michael Bizwick Usi, Vice President of Malawi Dina Nath Dungyel, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Kingdom of Bhutan Edil Baisalov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgy...

For the world’s landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), geography isn’t just a challenge, it’s a costly barrier to trade. Cut off from direct access to the sea, these nations face steep transport costs, sluggish delivery times, and a maze of border procedures that slow down economic progress. And increasingly, climate change is compounding the problem – damaging roads, disrupting supply chains, and threatening already fragile infrastructure with floods, droughts, and extreme weather. But as global discussions intensify, a UN conference underway in Turkmenistan is aiming to flip the scrip – to help transform LLDCs from landlocked to landlinked through smarter more climate resilient infrastructure, streamlined logistics, and stronger regional ties. As day two of the Third UN Conference on the Landlocked Developing Countries ( LLDC3 ) got underway on Wednesday, the atmosphere at the Awaza Congress Center shifted. With presidents and heads of government having departed after Tuesday’s o...