UN officials and leaders of 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) came together in Awaza, Turkmenistan, adopting a 10-year roadmap to tackle shared geographic challenges.
Representing a combined population of more than half a billion people, officials from LLDCs – spanning Central Asia, Africa and South America – are working with UN leaders to address obstacles in trade, connectivity and resilience.
At the third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, the Awaza Programme of Action (2024–2034) was adopted. It sets out commitments to accelerate trade facilitation, expand infrastructure, strengthen climate resilience and widen digital access.
With this fresh blueprint, UN partners and global LLDCs are delivering not only a technical roadmap but a statement of solidarity among nations historically disadvantaged by their geography.
Land-linked, not landlocked
For LLDCs, the obstacles to economic progress are clear: restricted access to global markets, high transport costs, dependence on transit states and heightened vulnerability to global shocks. These barriers slow growth and hinder full integration into international trade.
The Awaza declaration addressed these issues head-on, setting our measures to:
Expand multimodal transport corridors and reduce logistical bottlenecks
Streamline customs and border processes through digitalisation
Invest in renewable energy and climate adaptation to protect fragile economies
Strengthen food and health systems to bolster resilience
Enhance partnerships with international institutions including the UNDP, World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
Together, these steps aim to transform LLDCs into “land-linked” economies, better connected to regional and global systems.
Turkmenistan’s central role
Hosting the UN Conference for the first time, Turkmenistan highlighted both its neutrality and its broader mission of regional connectivity. Since independence in 1991, the country has pursued a unique foreign policy: permanent neutrality – recognised by the United Nations in 1995 – which allows it to act as a stable diplomatic partner.
By hosting this once-in-a-decade gathering, Turkmenistan underscored how neutrality can fuel cooperation. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted, “Turkmenistan has shown its generosity on so many occasions that it deserves the gratitude of the international community.”
Alongside formal sessions, delegates were welcomed with cultural showcases and fireworks on the Caspian shore, reinforcing Turkmenistan’s message of openness and hospitality.
Central Asia, Europe and beyond
The conference also gave Turkmenistan a chance to reaffirm its role as a bridge between regions. By convening leaders from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, Awaza cast itself as a rare global platform for collective problem-solving.
For Brussels, the Azawa Programme dovetails neatly with the EU’s own strategy. Its focus on supply chains, corridors and green growth reflects Europe’s efforts to combine connectivity with climate diplomacy. In its statement of support, the EU described the programme as a linchpin for advancing the SDGs and Paris Agreement goals.
The EU is already investing heavily in LLDC development through its €88.7 billion ODA spending in 2024. Recent projects include customs terminals and new road links in the Caucasus, hydropower infrastructure in Nepal, and the Lobito Corridor railway from the DRC and Zambia to Angola. Such initiatives, backed by “Team Europe”, align with the Awaza commitments and can help turn the programme’s vision into reality.
Looking ahead
In Awaza, fireworks lit the night sky to mark the adoption of a plan with global reach. Yet success will depend on translating declarations into investment, policy change and real-world impact for the 500 million people living in LLDCs.
By hosting, Turkmenistan positioned itself not just as neutral but as a proactive contributor to global cooperation. For the 32 LLDCs, the Awaza Programme provides a framework to shift from isolation to opportunity – building resilience, unlocking trade and reshaping their role in international development over the next decade.