Global leaders convened in Awaza, Turkmenistan, this week for a pivotal United Nations conference focused on dismantling systemic barriers facing 32 landlocked developing nations. The Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) seeks to address stark disparities: these countries, home to 600 million people, account for merely 1.2% of global trade despite comprising 7% of the world’s population. Trade costs for landlocked nations soar up to 74% above the global average, with goods taking 42 days to enter and 37 days to exit borders—delays that stifle economic growth and amplify inequality.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres framed the event as a corrective to historical neglect, declaring, “Geography should never define destiny.” Yet for countries like Armenia, Eswatini, and Uzbekistan, geographic isolation has long compounded challenges. Paved roads in these nations cover just 12% of the global average density, while internet access lags at 39%. A $500 billion infrastructure financing gap further hampers progress, exacerbated by mounting debt crises and overlapping shocks from pandemics, climate disasters, and geopolitical tensions.
Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedow spotlighted transport connectivity as a linchpin for change, reviving his 2023 proposal for a Global Atlas of Sustainable Transport Connectivity. The newly unveiled Awaza Programme of Action aims to operationalize such visions through a dedicated infrastructure fund, targeting road construction and trade corridor modernization. Over 320 UN-backed projects are already underway, with new partnerships expected to emerge during the conference.
Leaders emphasized regional cooperation as critical. Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev highlighted a 4.5-fold surge in Central Asian trade volumes and progress on transnational rail projects like the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan line. Eswatini’s King Mswati III outlined diversification into renewable energy and digital sectors to reduce reliance on traditional industries.
Rabab Fatima, the conference’s secretary-general, positioned the gathering as a turning point: “LLDCs may be landlocked, but they are not opportunity-locked.” The plan prioritizes bridging connectivity gaps, mobilizing financing, and fostering inclusive partnerships—including unprecedented platforms for civil society and private sector input.
While the Awaza Programme charts a decade-long roadmap, urgency permeated discussions. Guterres linked the nations’ struggles to a “global financial architecture” skewed by colonial legacies and systemic inequities. With one-third of landlocked countries facing instability, the stakes extend beyond economics to global security.
As delegates negotiate implementation mechanisms, the test lies in translating ambition into action. Fatima cautioned that success hinges not on declarations but on “real and lasting change”—a reminder that for millions in landlocked nations, geographic barriers must no longer dictate developmental horizons.
