Global leaders come together at UN conference in Turkmenistan

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.

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