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High-ranking delegations from UN member states, business leaders, and representatives of international financial institutions will gather in Turkmenistan for a UN conference aimed at supporting developing countries whose economies are often “locked out” due to lack of access to the sea.
Turkmenistan's national resort will host the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) under the theme “Driving Progress Through Partnerships”, scheduled for 5th - 8th August.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to attend.
A once-in-a-decade UN conference will push for freer transit, smarter trade corridors, stronger economic resilience and fresh financing to lift development prospects for the 570 million people living in 32 landlocked developing countries.
According to the World Bank, LLDCs’ trade costs are more than twice that of coastal countries and those costs are increasing. While they represent 7 percent of the world’s population landlocked countries’ share of global exports is just 1.1 percent.
These countries also face geographical challenges. More than half of landlocked countries are drylands, adversely affected by desertification and drought. Many are mountainous, suffering from melting glaciers, water shortages and declining biodiversity.
The upcoming conference will aim to break the cycle of poverty, foster social mobility, and plan investments in education, healthcare and livelihoods. The focus will be on trade, regional integration and support for small businesses, the UN statement reads.
The four-day event will feature plenary sessions, five high-level roundtables, and a Private Sector Forum focused on building partnerships and boosting investment. Forums with parliamentarians, women leaders, civil society, and youth will ensure diverse voices from across society are involved in the discussions.
Agenda of the conference will be focused on implementation of the Awaza Programme of Action for 2024-2034, adopted by the UN General Assembly in December.
It lays out five priority areas – structural transformation, infrastructure and connectivity, trade facilitation, regional integration, and resilience building – supported by five flagship initiatives.
These include:
- A global infrastructure investment facility to close financing gaps.
- Regional agricultural research hubs to boost food security.
- A high-level UN panel on freedom of transit, ensuring smoother cross-border flows.
- Digital connectivity initiatives to bridge the digital divide.
- A dedicated landlocked developing countries trade work programme at the WTO.
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, according to regional authorities and the company.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for a wartime election, arguing that holding a vote while Russia's full-scale invasion continues would divide the country and undermine national unity.
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Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffic through the key energy chokepoint.
A newly created pro-government political party has secured a commanding victory in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary election, according to exit polls, strengthening President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's influence at a pivotal moment in the country's political transition.
Kazakhstan has concluded its first election to the new unicameral Kurultai, with turnout reaching 74.19 per cent, as vote counting begins following a major overhaul of the country’s parliamentary system.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Syria has called for international action after an Israeli drone strike hit a civilian vehicle near Damascus, warning that continued Israeli attacks could deepen instability and put civilians at greater risk.
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