Oriented on making people closer

The Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries is kicking off in Avaza, on Turkmenistan’s Caspian coast. The landmark event, which is held once a decade, brings together more than twenty heads of state and government, over three thousand representatives of international organizations, civil society, and businesses from around the world.

A special guest at Avaza is UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who arrived Sunday evening from Almaty, Kazakhstan, where he attended the opening ceremony of the UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan. Speaking in Kazakhstan, he stressed that landlocked geography creates additional barriers to trade and finance, and growing international tensions only exacerbate these risks. “This Centre [in Almaty] can become an important link in the implementation of the Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries,” the UN chief noted, emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation.

The heads of state at the current UN Conference include the Presidents of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Sao Tome and Principe, the King of Eswatini, and the Chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council. Among the distinguished guests are the Rais of Tatarstan, the Prime Ministers of Georgia, Mali, Bhutan, Nepal, the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, and the Vice Presidents of Iran, Malawi, and Gambia. Russia, Mongolia, Turkey, Pakistan, Bolivia, Moldova, Botswana, Burkina Faso, etc. also sent high-ranking delegates to Turkmenistan.

On the eve of the opening, the final preparations were completed in the huge sports complex, which had been converted to receive the delegates. Teams of UN staff, working around the clock, together with local personnel, installed the necessary equipment, from security systems and television screens to cameras for broadcasting the numerous meetings and round tables.

One of the pavilions hosts an exhibition where participating countries showcase their achievements in the areas of transport, energy and communications. Intensive preparatory work carried out jointly with the UN has created all the necessary conditions for the productive work of delegates and participants.

The main goal of the four-day forum is to develop effective solutions to improve the development prospects of 570 million people living in landlocked countries. The conference will seek freer transit, efficient trade corridors, economic sustainability and stable financing.

The culmination of the conference is expected to be the adoption of the Avaza Action Program for 2024-2034 and the Political Declaration. These documents will form the basis for long-term economic and sustainable development of countries facing geographic challenges.

The four-day event, which will be held from August 5 to 8, will include plenary sessions, five high-level round tables and a private sector forum dedicated to establishing partnerships and stimulating investment. Special forums involving parliamentarians, women leaders, civil society representatives and youth will ensure that the views of all sectors of society are taken into account during discussions.

ORIENT

Photo: news.un.org