51吃瓜

H.E. Mr Serdar Berdi- muhamedow, President of Turkmenistan and President of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries,
H.E. Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly,
H.E. Mr. Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of ECOSOC,
Mr. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General,
Honourable Heads of State and Government,
Excellencies, 
Distinguished Delegates

It is truly an honour and privilege to address you today in my capacity as the Secretary-General of the LLDC3 Conference.

Allow me to begin by expressing my deep gratitude for their outstanding commitment and leadership for this  important Conference.

Excellencies,

The Awaza Programme of Action  is a bold and ambitious blueprint to transform the development landscape for the 32 LLDCs over the next decade.

I congratulate for its  historic adoption.

For too long, LLDCs have been defined by the barriers of geography - remoteness, inaccessibility, and by borders that do not open to the sea. 

But that is only part of the story. 

LLDCs may be landlocked, but they are not opportunity locked. As we have heard repeatedly, geography must not dictate their destiny.

These are countries rich in resources, resilience, and in ambition. 

 The theme of this Conference - “Driving Progress through Partnerships” - captures our collective resolve to unlock that potential. It underscores a new era of collaboration: where LLDCs are not seen as isolated or constrained, but as fully integrated partners in the global economy. 

The Awaza POA provides the tools to unlock the full potentials of LLDCs and turn their structural challenges into transformative opportunities.

And I am pleased to report to you that the implementation of the POA has already begun.

We arrive in Awaza with momentum on our side.

We have put together a UN system-wide roadmap and monitoring framework with clear milestones and outcomes - comprising over 320 concrete projects, programmes, and activities.

 And over the course of the week, we will see here the launch of many new partnerships and initiatives that will bring fresh momentum to its implementation. 

As we take this process forward, allow me to highlight three strategic priorities that will guide our work in Awaza, and beyond.

First, bridging the infrastructure and connectivity gaps remains our top priority. 

LLDCs face an infrastructure financing shortfall of over $500 billion. Goods take 42 days to enter and 37 days to exit their borders. Paved road density stands at just 12 percent of the global average. Internet access is only 39 percent.

To address these constraints, the Awaza POA proposes a new Infrastructure Investment Finance Facility. This new initiative will mobilize capital at scale to plug the gaps and pave the roads. 

This Conference also features, for the first time, a dedicated Forum on Physical and Digital Connectivity, bringing together all stakeholders to shape new and innovative solutions. 

Second, it would be imperative to accelerate  economic transformation and growth.

LLDCs account for just 0.8 percent of global services exports and 0.3 percent of manufactured goods trade. Logistics costs are, on average, 63% higher than in transit countries. These disadvantages must be tackled head-on.

Freedom of transit for LLDCs needs to be ensured - not just in principle, but in practice, to overcome the heavy cost of land-lockedness.

To this end, we are advancing the proposal for a High-Level Panel of the UN Secretary-General on Freedom of Transit - to turn international provisions into real-world pathways.

We are supporting the LLDC Group’s call for a dedicated work programme within the multilateral trading system.

We are also promoting Awaza POA’s proposal to establish Regional Agricultural Research Hubs to enhance food security and regional cooperation. Two Member States have already expressed interest in hosting them, a clear demonstration of support to this important deliverable.

Third, climate resilience must be central to the LLDCs’ development agenda.

Despite contributing the least to global emissions, LLDCs disproportionately suffer from climate shocks - absorbing 18% of global drought and landslide impacts.

For the first time, climate action and resilience form a dedicated priority area of the LLDC Programme of Action. 

With our support, the LLDC group has established a dedicated negotiating group under UNFCCC. This will ensure that their voices are heard and their unique vulnerabilities addressed in global climate discourse. 

Excellencies,

A Programme of Action is only as effective as its implementation. 

We are launching here in Awaza the National Mainstreaming Guidelines and Toolkit, to support the integration of the Awaza POA into national plans and budgets.

At the regional level, we will work with UN Regional Commissions, development banks, and subregional platforms to enhance transit corridors, improve resilience, and mobilize catalytic investments.

These efforts will be anchored by strengthened national focal points and close engagement with UN Resident Coordinators.

Importantly, Awaza POA is fully aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the Pact for the Future.

But implementation requires more than policy alignment. It demands inclusivity and ownership.

Therefore, for the first time, LLDC3 features dedicated platforms for civil society, the private sector, youth, women leaders, parliamentarians, and South-South partners. This is a whole-of-society approach in action.

In that spirit, I am pleased to announce that we will launch this afternoon the Global Business Network for LLDCs - a major milestone in integrating the private sector as a key partner in their sustainable development.

Excellencies,

The legacy of this Conference will not be measured in words, but by the real and lasting change we deliver on the ground: 

?   In the roads we build
?   In the trade corridors we open
?   In the digital divide we close
?   In the resilience we build

Let us seize this moment- with ambition, unity, and with purpose.

Let us chart a new path where land-linked is not just a phrase, but a way of life.

The UN Secretary General has pledged to place the LLDCs high on the UN agenda. We will make every effort that the next decade is a decade of action and transformation for the LLDCs.

I thank you.