Kathmandu, 04 Aug: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has departed for Turkmenistan.
He left last night to participate in the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) being held in Turkmenistan.
At the VIP lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Pandey bade farewell to the Prime Minister.
On the occasion, the Chief Secretary of the Government of Nepal, Chief of the Nepal Army, heads of various security agencies, and other high-ranking officials were also present. The Nepal Army presented a guard of honor in tribute to the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Oli is attending the conference at the formal invitation of Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The conference will be held in the city of Avaza, Turkmenistan, from Shrawan 20 to 23 (August 5 to 8).
As the current chair of the Global Coordination Bureau for Least Developed Countries, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to address the conference. He will also co-chair a high-level roundtable meeting and participate in various other events during the conference. Nepal currently holds the chairmanship of the LLDC group.
Representatives from 32 landlocked developing countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America will participate in the event. The conference will discuss challenges faced by landlocked nations due to lack of direct access to the sea, along with the benefits they can obtain from the global market.
Considering the reality that these landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) rely on international trade through transit via other countries, the conference will focus on enhancing their competitiveness. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, due to multiple border crossings, long distances from major markets, burdensome transit procedures, inadequate infrastructure, and high transportation and transaction costs, these countries face significant obstacles to trade and development.
During the conference, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to hold meetings with heads of delegations from various countries, as well as with senior officials from the United Nations and other international organizations. Landlocked developing countries face serious challenges in terms of international trade, connectivity, and economic development due to the lack of direct regional access to the sea.
Moreover, the absence of direct access limits their ability to reap substantial benefits from the global market, hinders the development of a smooth global transportation network, and creates difficulties in building food infrastructure. The conference is expected to play a fruitful role in supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under such conditions.
It is believed that the conference will contribute to addressing these challenges by promoting strategic partnerships and increasing investment to help realize the full potential of these nations. By supporting these countries, the conference aims to play a significant role in building a mutual, equitable, and prosperous future.
Previously, the Second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries was held in Vienna, Austria, from November 3 to 5, 2014.
That conference, held nearly a decade ago, focused on reviewing the implementation of the Almaty Program of Action and identifying new and emerging challenges. Discussions were held on partnerships and opportunities in relation to international, regional, sub regional, and national trade and transit transport cooperation policies, as well as improvements in transit transport systems.
The high-level delegation led by Prime Minister Oli includes First Lady Radhika Shakya, the Prime Minister’s Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Member of Parliament Surya Bahadur Thapa Chhetri, Chief Personal Secretary Rajesh Bajracharya, private physician Prof. Dr. Divya Singh Shah, Foreign Ministry Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, senior government officials, official media personnel, and security staff. Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to return to Nepal on the night of Friday, Shrawan 23 (August 8).
