52/183 Specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries

The General Assembly,

Recalling the provisions of its resolutions 44/214 of 22 December 1989, 46/212 of 20 December 1991, 48/169 of 21 December 1993 and 50/97 of 20 December 1995 as well as the relevant parts of the Agenda for Development, ⁽¹⁸⁾

Recognizing that the lack of territorial access to the sea, aggravated by remoteness and isolation from world markets, and prohibitive transit costs and risks impose serious constraints on the overall socio-economic development efforts of the landlocked developing countries,

Recognizing also that sixteen of the landlocked developing countries are also classified by the United Nations as least developed countries and that their geographical situation is an added constraint on their overall ability to cope with the challenges of development,

Recognizing further that most transit countries are themselves developing countries facing serious economic problems, including the lack of adequate infrastructure in the transport sector,

Recalling that measures to deal with the transit problems of landlocked developing countries require closer and even more effective cooperation and collaboration between those countries and their transit neighbours,

Noting the importance of strengthening, and in this respect recognizing the important role played by, bilateral cooperative arrangements and subregional cooperation and integration, as well as the activities of the regional commissions in alleviating the transit problems of the landlocked developing countries and improving the transit transport systems in landlocked and transit developing countries,

Noting also the importance of strengthening the existing international support measures with a view to addressing further the problems of landlocked developing countries,

Noting further the holding of the Third Meeting of Governmental Experts from Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Representatives of Donor Countries and Financial and Development Institutions, in New York from 18 to 20 June 1997,

Welcoming the First Subregional Consultative Meeting of countries of North-East Asia on transit transport cooperation, held at Ulaanbaatar from 20 to 22 May 1997 under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme Special Unit for Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,

1. Welcomes the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the progress report of the secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries; ⁽¹⁹⁾

2. Reaffirms the right of access of landlocked countries to and from the sea and freedom of transit through the territory of transit States by all means of transport, in accordance with international law;

3. Also reaffirms that transit developing countries, in the exercise of their full sovereignty over their territory, have the right to take all measures necessary to ensure that the rights and facilities provided for landlocked developing countries in no way infringe upon their legitimate interests;

4. Calls upon both the landlocked developing countries and their transit neighbours to implement measures to strengthen further their cooperative and collaborative efforts, including bilateral cooperation, in dealing with transit issues, inter alia, by improving the transit transport infrastructure facilities and bilateral and subregional agreements to govern transit transport operations, developing joint ventures in the area of transit transport and strengthening institutions and human resources dealing with transit transport, and, in this respect, notes that South-South cooperation also plays an important role in this field;

5. Appeals once again to all States, international organizations and financial institutions to implement, as a matter of urgency and priority, the specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries agreed in the resolutions and declarations adopted by the General Assembly and the outcomes of recent major United Nations conferences relevant to landlocked developing countries, as well as in the Global Framework for Transit Transport Cooperation between Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and the Donor Community; ⁽²⁰⁾

6. Takes note of the agreed conclusions and recommendations and proposals for future action adopted at the Third Meeting of Governmental Experts from Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Representatives of Donor Countries and Financial and Development Institutions;

7. Welcomes the Ulaanbaatar memorandum of understanding adopted at the First Subregional Consultative Meeting of countries of North-East Asia on transit transport cooperation;

8. Also welcomes the continuing efforts being made by the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in collaboration with donor countries and institutions, in particular the United Nations Development Programme, the regional commissions and relevant subregional institutions, to organize specific consultative groups, as appropriate, when requested by the landlocked and transit developing countries concerned, to identify priority areas for action at the national and subregional levels and draw up action programmes;

9. Emphasizes that assistance for the improvement of transit transport facilities and services should be integrated into the overall economic development strategies of the landlocked and transit developing countries, and that donor assistance should consequently take into account the requirements for the long-term restructuring of the economies of the landlocked developing countries;

10. Invites donor countries, the United Nations Development Programme and multilateral financial institutions to provide landlocked and transit developing countries with appropriate financial and technical assistance in the form of grants or concessional loans for the construction, maintenance and improvement of their transport, storage and other transit-related facilities, including alternative routes and improved communications, and to promote subregional, regional and interregional projects and programmes;

11. Requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations to convene in 1999, within the overall level of resources for the biennium 1998-1999, another meeting of governmental experts from landlocked and transit developing countries and representatives of donor countries and financial and development institutions, including relevant regional and subregional economic organizations and commissions, to review progress in the development of transit systems, including sectoral aspects, as well as transit transportation costs, with a view to exploring the possibility of formulating necessary action-oriented measures;

12. Requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to seek voluntary contributions to ensure the participation of representatives of landlocked and transit developing countries, donor countries, and financial and development institutions at the meeting referred to in paragraph 11 above;

13. Notes with appreciation the contribution of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to formulating international measures to deal with the special problems of the landlocked developing countries, and urges the Conference, inter alia, to keep under constant review the evolution of transit transport infrastructure facilities, institutions and services, monitor the implementation of agreed measures, including by means of a case study as necessary, collaborate in all relevant initiatives, including those of the private sector and non-governmental organizations, and serve as a focal point for cross-regional issues of landlocked developing countries;

14. Invites the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in consultation with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, to take appropriate measures for the effective implementation of the activities called for in the present resolution, and to staff and equip adequately, in accordance with the outcome of the ninth session of the Conference, the Conference Office of the Special Coordinator for Least Developed, Landlocked and Island Developing Countries so as to allow it to implement effectively its mandate to continue to support the landlocked developing countries;

15. Requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations, together with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, to prepare a report on the implementation of the present resolution and submit it to the Trade and Development Board and to the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session.

18. Resolution 51/240, annex.

19. A/52/329, annex.

20. TD/B/42(1)/11-TD/B/LDC/AC.1/7, annex I.