NEWS – The third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) recently commenced in Awaza, Turkmenistan, with a central focus on addressing the unique challenges faced by the world’s 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs).

ABOUT LLDC3

• Objective: Coordinate international action to bridge development gaps in LLDCs.
• Theme: Driving Progress through Partnerships.
• Focus Areas:
  • Promote partnerships and targeted investments.
  • Develop efficient, flexible transport corridors to improve goods and services movement.
  • Address structural challenges to trade, infrastructure, and economic diversification.
• Challenges for LLDCs:
  • No direct access to seaports, leading to higher trade costs.
  • Reduced competitiveness in global markets.
  • Dependence on transit through neighbouring countries.

Significance of the Conference

• Serves as a platform to mobilize investments.
• Encourages integration into regional and global value chains.
• Facilitates discussion on infrastructure modernization, resilience building, and inclusive growth.

AWAZA PROGRAMME OF ACTION (APOA) 2024–2034

Adopted by: UN General Assembly, 24 December 2024
Nature: Comprehensive framework to tackle persistent development barriers.

Five Priority Areas of APoA

1. Structural Transformation, Science, Technology & Innovation
   • Encourage industrial upgrading, digital adoption, and R&D investment.
2. Trade, Trade Facilitation & Regional Integration
   • Simplify cross-border procedures and enhance participation in free trade agreements.
3. Transit, Transport & Connectivity
   • Build reliable road, rail, and multimodal transport links.
4. Enhancing Adaptive Capacity & Resilience
   • Mitigate vulnerability to climate change, commodity shocks, and pandemics.
5. Implementation, Follow-up & Monitoring
   • Establish accountability mechanisms for measurable progress.