麻豆传媒

Her Excellency, Ms. Celinda Sosa Lunda, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia,
His Excellency, Mr. Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the ECOSOC,
Hon’ble Ministers, Excellencies, Distinguished Colleagues,

I thank you, Madame Chairperson, for convening annual Ministerial Meeting of LLDCs under the theme, “From aspiration to action: advancing sustainable development in LLDCs through the Awaza Programme of Action.” 

I commend you, Madame Chair, and your able team for your excellent stewardship of the Group especially in preparing for the landmark Third United Nations Conference on LLDCs held in Awaza last month. 

I also congratulate and express my deep appreciation and congratulations to Turkmenistan for the resounding success of the Conference.  
I also extend my sincere gratitude to the President of ECOSOC for his unwavering support in keeping LLDC issues at the forefront of the multilateral agenda.

I recognize the presence of Ministers from LLDCs and Friends of LLDCs here today as a powerful demonstration of our shared commitment to addressing the unique vulnerabilities and development challenges faced by landlocked developing countries. 

I would also like to thank our colleagues in the UN system for their presence, which attests to their steadfast support for sustainable development in the LLDCs.

Excellencies, 
We gather today with unprecedented momentum behind the LLDC agenda.
The LLDC3 Conference in Awaza in August was the largest and most inclusive event ever held for the 32 landlocked developing countries. 

It brought together over 5,700 participants from 103 countries, including 16 Heads of State and Government and 108 Ministers.

For the first time, the Conference adopted a whole-of-society approach, engaging a wide range of stakeholders across eight dedicated tracks. 

These included forums for youth, women leaders, civil society, parliamentarians, the private sector, and thematic discussions on digital connectivity and transport and transit corridors.

A special meeting was held between LLDC National Focal Points and UN Resident Coordinators focused on the importance of country-led ownership. 
More than 50 side events and exhibitions, including three high-level special events, explored critical themes ranging from agri-business and digital corridors to tourism and the circular economy.

Among the key outcomes were:
?    Commitments of $10 billion in infrastructure investments from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
?    The launch of the LLDC Global Business Network to catalyze private-sector engagement in the APOA.
?    The celebration of the inaugural International Day of Awareness of the Special Development Needs and Challenges of LLDCs.
?    The establishment of a new LLDC negotiating group under the UNFCCC, amplifying their climate voice.

The Conference culminated in two landmark outcomes: the Awaza Programme of Action for the Decade 2024–2034, and the Awaza Political Declaration. 

Additionally, each of the eight multistakeholder tracks produced its own dedicated outcome.

Together, they chart a ten-year roadmap to advance structural transformation, resilience, and sustainable prosperity in LLDCs. 

LLDC3 was also able to build on the fourth Financing for Development Conference and the Compromise of Seville, including a dedicated LLDC Ministerial Meeting at FFD4.

LLDC3 significantly elevated the visibility of LLDCs within the United Nations, among traditional and emerging development partners, and with transit countries. 

Together we have mobilized unprecedented global political will and laid a strong foundation for accelerating progress toward the 2030 Agenda and the Pact for the Future.

Excellencies,
Now is our opportunity to transform the success of LLDC3 into sustained action. 

This will require strategic leadership, timely and effective implementation, and strong national ownership.

I am pleased to report that my Office is actively engaged in efforts to support implementation.  Allow me to share with you updates in this regard:

First, in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Consultative Group, we have already coordinated a detailed Roadmap for implementation that currently includes 319 activities reported across 39 UN entities. 

Our preliminary analysis indicates that these activities map around 85% of the commitments in the APOA.

We will continue to expand, deepen and scale-up these efforts with our partners while developing a comprehensive Results Framework to monitor progress and ensure accountability.

Second, we are finalizing a mainstreaming toolkit and guidelines to support the adoption of the Awaza Programme of Action into national development plans and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks. 

This will help ensure policy coherence and alignment with broader national priorities.

Third, we are actively engaging with partners to advance the four key deliverables of the APOA. 

We are preparing a feasibility study for the Investment Financing Facility for LLDCs, to help address the more than $500bn infrastructure deficit in LLDCs. 

In collaboration with FAO, we are exploring the establishment of Regional Research Agriculture Hubs. Four countries have already expressed interest in hosting these hubs.

 The Secretary General will be establishing a High-Level Panel on the Freedom of Transit, which will be instrumental in addressing one of the most persistent structural challenges faced by LLDCs.  We have already started the process by invitation nominations. 

We are engaged with the LLDC Coordinator in Geneva to advocate for and support the rest of the LLDCs to take forward the programme of work on LLDCs at the World Trade Organization, and to ensure that the needs of LLDCs are properly integrated in the multilateral trading framework.

Fourth, to foster private sector engagement, we are advancing the Global Business Network for LLDCs, including through the launch of the investment promotion initiative “Vision for the Future: LLDC Edition,” in collaboration with the Global Partnership Forum and WAIPA. 

Finally, we are supporting direct project delivery. 
We are implementing a UNPDF project through which we will organize a global workshop aimed at strengthening LLDC transport and trade policymaking, a priority of the APOA.

In partnership with IRU, we are also supporting road transport reform and the implementation of TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) systems to facilitate cross-border trade.

Excellencies,
As we advance the outcomes of the Conference, the coming year will be pivotal for elevating the LLDC agenda within multilateral processes.

Your leadership and guidance will be essential to ensure that the commitments made in Awaza are meaningfully reflected in the deliberations of the General Assembly, the High-Level Political Forum, and other relevant intergovernmental processes.

Your statements delivered today, along with the Ministerial Declaration adopted at this meeting, are a key part of this political direction.

Next month, the UNCTAD 16 Conference in Geneva will offer a critical opportunity to shape strategic support for LLDCs -particularly in the areas of trade, trade facilitation, and regional integration. It will also give important directions for the Group on trade issues ahead of the WTO Ministerial Conference in March 2026.

In November, COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, will mark the first formal engagement of the LLDC Group under the UNFCCC. This milestone presents a vital opportunity to articulate shared climate priorities and begin institutionalizing the Group’s presence in global climate processes. Thank you, Chair, for your pivotal role in steering this process.  And I thank, the Government of Bhutan, for offering to coordinate the Group in the COP process. 

Upcoming UNGA resolutions must be leveraged to emphasize the priorities of the APOA and ensure that the needs of LLDCs remain central to the United Nations development agenda.

We must also make a compelling case for the mobilization of resources necessary to implement the APOA effectively.

Excellencies,
We deeply appreciate your unwavering support, which has been crucial in allowing my Office to advance the specific needs of LLDCs. As global challenges evolve, the issues faced by LLDCs are becoming more complex, making sustained and collaborative action more critical than ever. 

To match these needs and deliver the expanded mandate of the APOA, OHRLLS must be strengthened and adequately resourced, in line with the vision of the UN80 Initiative.

The year ahead will be decisive. Your leadership and continued commitment will be essential to ensure that the momentum generated by LLDC3 is sustained and translated into meaningful progress in this important 80th year of the United Nations.

OHRLLS remains fully committed to supporting the Group in this transformative journey.

I thank you all.