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UN Secretary-General opens third LLDC conference in Awaza, urges decade of ambition
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Summary
UN Secretary-General António Guterres opened the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) in Awaza, Turkmenistan, highlighting deep economic disparities and calling for a new decade of action centered on the conference's programme of action.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday opened the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) in Awaza, Turkmenistan, saying the meeting must shift from describing obstacles to delivering solutions.
Guterres said landlocked developing countries account for roughly 7% of the world's population but only just over 1% of global trade and economic output, a disparity he described as "a stark example of deep inequalities that perpetuate marginalization." He said the conference is intended to "launch a new decade of ambition" through the Awaza programme of action and its deliverables to "fully unlock the development potential of landlocked developing countries."
The secretary-general also thanked Turkmenistan for hosting the conference and said LLDC3 "reflects a new era of cooperation taking shape across Central Asia," adding that the spirit of partnership is especially important when multilateral cooperation is "being tested." He noted that, while he would depart Turkmenistan the following day, the conference would continue through Aug. 8.
Speakers at the opening included representatives of member states and the UN secretariat; the press office also reported that the secretary-general held bilateral meetings on the sidelines with leaders including Uzbekistan's president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Iran's Mohammad Reza Aref to discuss UN cooperation and regional developments.
The opening statement and the conference agenda center on mobilizing international cooperation and implementing a programme of action aimed at connectivity, trade facilitation, and economic diversification for LLDCs. The briefing did not list specific donor commitments or enacted measures; details on funding, project timelines and responsible agencies were not specified in the public remarks.
