AVAZA, Aug 5: The Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) commenced on Monday in Avaza, Turkmenistan. The conference, which runs through August 7, was inaugurated at the Avaza Sports Complex where Turkmenistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Hojamyrat Geldimyradov and UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed heads of state and government from participating countries.
In his inaugural address, Secretary-General Guterres stressed the need for increased access for LLDCs to global competitive markets. He called for joint efforts, coordination, and the necessary support to overcome the challenges these countries face.
Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedow highlighted the importance of South-South cooperation, parliamentary platforms, and the involvement of youth and civil society in addressing economic and social difficulties experienced by LLDCs.
PM Oli meets AIIB Prez on sidelines of UN conference in Turkmen...
Dennis Francis, President of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, also addressed the opening session.
The plenary session of the conference began at the Avaza tourism complex. Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is leading the country’s delegation, is scheduled to address the session today. He is also expected to speak on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group.
On the sidelines of the conference, Prime Minister Oli will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of participating nations and senior officials from the United Nations and other international organizations.
The conference is being viewed as significant, especially for LLDCs that face considerable challenges in international trade, connectivity, and economic development due to lack of direct access to the sea.
PM Oli is accompanied by First Lady Radhika Shakya, Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Member of Parliament Surya Bahadur Thapa Chhetri, Chief Personal Secretary Rajesh Bajracharya, personal physician Dr Divya Singh Shah, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, among others.
