Your Excellency Mr. Edgar Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia and Chair of the Landlocked Developing Countries Group, Distinguished Heads of State and Government, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to convey greetings to this important forum.

The new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a potentially transformative undertaking that aims to leave no-one behind – including the world’s landlocked developing countries.

Much has been done to achieve the objectives set out in the Vienna Programme of Action.

But much more work lies ahead To enable people living in landlocked developing countries to benefit fully from shared global prosperity. 

We need the resources to support our efforts.  The commitments made in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda are a major step forward. 

We also need to improve capacity, strengthen governance and forge meaningful partnerships.  This will help landlocked developing countries to build and maintain transport infrastructure, increase trade and become better integrated in global markets.

In December, governments aim to reach a universal climate change agreement in Paris.  The World Trade Organization will hold its Ministerial Conference in Nairobi. 

Landlocked developing countries have a key role to play in these efforts – and in our shared work to place the world on safer, more sustainable and more equitable footing.

I will count on your leadership and I look forward to working with you towards our common goals.

Thank you