Lack of territorial access to the sea, remoteness and isolation from world markets and high transit costs continue to impose serious constraints on the overall socio-economic development of landlocked developing countries. Their sea borne trade unavoidably depends on transit through other countries. Additional border crossings and long distance from the market substantially increase the total expenses for the transport services.

The economic performance of landlocked developing countries reflects the direct and indirect impact of geographical situation on key-economic variables. Landlocked developing countries are generally among the poorest of the developing countries, with the weakest growth rates, and are typically heavily dependent on a very limited number of commodities for their export earnings. Moreover, of 30 landlocked developing countries 16 are classified as least developed.

The remoteness from major world markets is the principal reason why many landlocked developing countries have not been very successful in mitigating consequences caused by their geographical handicap as compared to landlocked countries in Europe. Landlocked developed countries of Europe are surrounded by major developed markets and their seaborne trade accounts for a relatively small part of their external trade. Their export is mainly high value added products and their distance from the seaport is relatively short.

The distances involved in most cases of landlocked developing countries are excessive. Kazakhstan has the longest distance from the sea (3,750 km), followed by Afghanistan, Chad, Niger, Zambia and Zimbabwe with distances from the nearest seacoast in excess of 2,000 km. Transit time for goods of landlocked developing countries is extremely long because of their long distance, difficult terrain, road and railway conditions and inefficiency of transit transport.
In most cases their transit neighbours are themselves developing countries, often of broadly similar economic structure and beset by similar scarcities of resources. The recorded trade between landlocked and transit developing countries tends to be relatively insignificant. In most cases, the transit developing countries are in no position to offer transport systems of high technical and administrative standards to which their landlocked neighbours might link themselves effectively by the development of their own internal transport systems.

There is a clear correlation between distance and the transport costs. High transport costs erode the competitive edge of landlocked developing countries and trade volume. The trade reducing effect is strongest for transport intensive activities that are dependent on exports or imported intermediate goods for production. Most landlocked developing countries are commodity exporters. According to UNCTAD estimates based on the IMF balance of payment statistics, on average landlocked developing countries spent almost two times more of their export earnings for the payment of transport and insurance services than the average for developing countries and three times more than the average of developed economies.

Indeed, high transport costs facing landlocked developing countries have become a far more restrictive barrier to trade for these countries than tariffs. Tariffs for Canada, the European Union, Japan and the United States will range from 3 percent to 7 percent on goods originated from most landlocked developing countries. Then landlocked developing countries on average pay almost three times higher for transport services than these tariffs. Most landlocked developing countries benefit from recent initiatives to provide greater market access for goods of least developed countries.

ALMATY DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION

To deal with the constraints facing landlocked countries, the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries and International Financial and Development Institutions on Transit Transport Cooperation was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 25-29 August 2003. It was the first of its kind and it provided the international community with a unique opportunity to galvanize international solidarity and partnership to assist landlocked developing countries to effectively participate in the international trading system, through, among other things, establishing transit systems. At its successful conclusions, the Ministerial Conference adopted the Almaty Programme of Action: Addresssing the Special Needs of Landlocked Developing Countries within a New Global Framework For Transit Transport Cooperation for Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and the Almaty Ministerial Declaration. The UN-OHRLLS prepared the Roadmap for the implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action, which was endorsed at the inter-agency meeting convened on 4 February 2004.

The Almaty Declaration and Programme of Action reflected the strong commitment of the international community to addressing the special needs and problems of landlocked developing countries as called for in the United Nations Millennium Declaration. The overarching goal of the Almaty Programme of Action is to forge partnerships to overcome the specific problems of the landlocked developing countries that result from their lack of territorial access to the sea and their remoteness and isolation from world markets. That situation has contributed to their relative poverty, substantially inflating transportation costs and lowering their effective participation in international trade.

The objective of the Almaty Programme of Action is to establish a new global framework for developing efficient transit transport systems in landlocked and transit developing countries, taking into account the interests of both landlocked and transit developing countries. The Programme aims to (a) secure access to and from the sea by all means of transport; (b) reduce costs and improve services so as to increase the competitiveness of their exports; (c) reduce the delivered costs of imports; (d) address problems of delays and uncertainties in trade routes; (e) develop adequate national networks; (f) reduce loss, damage and deterioration enroute; (g) open the way for export expansion; and (h) improve the safety of road transport and the security of people along the corridors.

The main innovative feature of the Almaty Programme of Action is the focus on action-oriented specific measures to be undertaken by both landlocked and transit developing countries with the support of their development partners, the implementation of which would be measurable and feasible.

Five Priorities in the Almaty Programme of Action •  Policy Improvements - reducing customsbureaucracy and fees, designed to cut costs andtravel days for landlocked countries' exports. •  Improved rail, road, air and pipeline infra-structure - projects will reflect local transportmodes; in Africa, road is the predominant modeof transport; in South Asia, rail is more common. •  International trade measures - to givepreferential treatment to landlocked countries'goods, making them more competitive. •  Technical and financial internationalassistance - donor countries will lend know-howand money to landlocked and transit countriesfor infrastructure and policy improvements. •  Monitoring and follow-up on agreements -measurable criteria, such as travel days andcosts, will be used, and an annual review beforethe General Assembly is possible.

UN-OHRLLS MANDATE ON LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and the Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2001 through its resolution 56/227 with functions recommended by the Secretary-General in his report A/56/645.

The key functions of the Office of the High Representative in accordance with the Secretary-General's report A/56/645 are:

(a) To assist the Secretary-General in ensuring the full mobilization and coordination of all parts of the United Nations system, with a view to facilitating the coordinated implementation of and coherence in the follow-up and monitoring of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries at the country, regional and global levels;

(b) To provide coordinated support to the Economic and Social Council as well as the General Assembly in assessing progress and in conducting the annual review of the implementation of the Programme of Action;

(c) To ensure full and effective implementation the Almaty Declaration and Almaty Programme of Action: Addressing the Special needs of Landlocked Developing Countries within the Transit Transport Cooperation for Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries;

(d) To support, as appropriate, the coordinated follow-up of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;

(e) To undertake appropriate advocacy work in favour of the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States in partnership with the relevant parts of the United Nations as well as with the civil society, media, academia and foundations;

(f) To assist in mobilizing international support and resources for the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries and other programmes and initiatives for landlocked developing countries and small island developing States;

(g) To provide appropriate support to group consultations of Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States;

(h) To enhance its cooperation and coordination with organizations within the United Nations system, particularly those engaged in operational activities on the ground in landlocked and transit developing countries, to ensure effective implementation of the Programme of Action. The Office of the High Representative will continue to carry out advocacy work to mobilize international awareness and focus attention on the implementation of the present Programme of Action;

(i) To ensure that the Conference is effectively followed up, within our mandate and in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly.