Inaugural meeting of the LLDCs National Focal Point Network

United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG)

Towards accelerated implementation of the VPoA and building coherence with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development: The role of National Focal Points

The Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014-2024 (VPoA) was adopted at the Second United Nations Conference on LLDCs held in November 2014. The VPoA provides a comprehensive framework to tackle LLDCs’ special challenges and improve their integration into the global economy through six mutually reinforcing priority areas: transit, infrastructure development, international trade and trade facilitation, regional integration and cooperation, structural economic transformation, and means of implementation. The VPoA is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Member States Governments are invited to mainstream the Vienna Programme of Action into their national and sectoral development strategies for its effective implementation. The VPoA also encourages LLDCs to establish national coordination mechanisms, where appropriate. Paragraph 66 of the VPoA stresses that primary responsibility of development and progress rests with the Member States. It is in this regard that OHRLLS has undertaken to establish the National Focal Point Network for LLDCs to facilitate effective implementation of the VPoA at national level as mandated by the VPoA. The establishment of the LLDCs National Focal Points Network also follows the successful establishment of the same network for the LDCs and SIDS Groups.

The High-level Midterm review (MTR) on the implementation of the VPoA held in December 2019 called for action to accelerate the implementation of the VPoA. Strengthening of coherence, coordination and monitoring at the national, regional and global levels is fundamental to accelerating implementation. The role of national focal points is therefore important in spearheading national level implementation and in fostering coherence in the implementation of the National Development plan, the VPoA, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other relevant development frameworks at national level.

To further accelerate the implementation of the VPoA, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of LLDCs adopted a Roadmap for Accelerated Implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action in September 2021. The Roadmap provides a comprehensive map of activities and responsibilities of the wider UN family and other international and regional organizations in seven thematic priority action areas of importance to the sustainable development of the LLDCs including: transit, trade and transport facilitation, Energy and ICT, Structural economic transformation, Cooperation between LLDCs and transit countries, Means of implementation and international support, COVID-19 and other areas. The successful implementation of the Roadmap is greatly dependent on the uptake of the UN and other international support by LLDCs at national level. In the Roadmap, UN-OHRLLS has committed to establish the National Focal Point Network with the support of the Residents Coordinators.

Programmes

• English
• French

Documents

• Concept Note
   
• Terms of Reference
   
• Vienna Programme of Action
   
• LLDCs Things to Know, Things to Do (2019)
   
• Report of the Secretary-General on implementation of Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014-2024 (A/76/267)
   
• GA Resolution - Follow-up to the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries  (A/Res/76/217)

Presentations and Statements

• Opening Remarks by Ms. Schroderus-Fox, Acting-High-Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

• Statement by Dr Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme on behalf of H.E. Collen Vixen Kelapile, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Botswana to the United Nations and other International Organisations at Geneva

• Session 1

  • Enhancing national level implementation of the VPoA: The role of National Focal Points by Ms. Gladys Mutangadura

• Session 2

  • Implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement: The role of NTFCs, by Mr. Jan Hoffmann (UNCTAD)

  • Eswatini Trade Facilitation Committee, by Ms. Portia Dlamini

  • Facilitacion del Comercio en el Paraguay, Experiencias y desafios en el marco de la pandemia, by Ms. Jazmin Ayala Roa

  • Role of NCTFs in LLDCs, by Ms. Vyara Filipova

  • WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) Rwanda, by Ms. Chantal Tuyishimire

• Session 3

  • National experiences on progress in integrating the VPoA into national development and sectoral plans, in implementing the VPoA and in building coherence with the 2030 Agenda and other development frameworks, by Ms. Helena Fraser

  • Statement by Mr. Davit Grigorian, National Focal Point of Armenia

  • Cohérence du Plan national de développement 2021 2025 avec le Programme d’action de Vienne by Mr. Didier Kambou

  • Statement by Mouavixay Palee, Deputy Director General of Import and Export Department, Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Lao PDR

  • National experiences on progress made in integrating the VPoA into the National Development Plans: challenges and possible solutions in implementing the VPoA and in building coherence with the 2030 Agenda, by Ms. Rapotso

  • National experiences on progress in integrating the VPoA into national development and sectoral plans, in implementing the VPoA and in building coherence with the 2030 Agenda and other development frameworks, by Asel Tenizbekova

  • Experience of Chad relative to the implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action, by Ngomina Bramingar

• Session 4

  • The role of partnerships and opportunities for technical assistance and capacity building, by Bill Gain, Global Lead Trade Facilitation, Custom Reform and Border Management (World Bank Group)

  • Statement by Wilfried Biya (IRENA)

  • WTO's role in fostering partnerships and opportunities for technical assistance and capacity building in implementation of the VPoA, by Raul Torres, Head of Development Policy Unit (WTO)

  • The role of partnerships and opportunities for technical assistance and capacity building in the implementation of the VPoA, by Ikuru Nogami (International Trade Centre)

  • Roadmap for accelerated implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action for LLDCs, by Gladys Mutangadura, Team Leader of the LLDC Team (UN-OHRLLS)

  • Presentation by Mussie Delelegn Arega (UNCTAD)

  • Remarks by Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Managing Director of Common Fund for Commodities

• Session 5

  • Towards accelerated implementation of the VPoA and building coherence
    with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development: The role of National
    Focal Points, by Francis Ikome (UNECA)

  • Global and regional efforts to  support LLDCs and facilitate the implementation of the VPoA by Ms. Miryam Saade Hazin, Economic Affairs Officer Logistics and Infrastructure Unit International Trade and Integration Division (ECLAC)

  • Briefing for the LLDCs National Focal Points on the work of ESCAP, by Mr. Oliver Paddison Chief, Section on Countries in Special Situations United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

  • Global and regional efforts to support LLDCs and facilitate the implementation of the VPoA, by Ms. Gladys Mutangadura Team Leader, LLDC Team (UN-OHRLLS)

  • Global and regional efforts to support LLDCs and facilitate the implementation of the VPoA African Development Bank, by Zodwa F. Mabuza (AfDB)

  • The Experience of the Asian Development Bank, by Ronald Antonio Q. Butiong Chief, Regional Cooperation and Integration Thematic Group (Asian Development Bank)

  • UNECE Transport Efforts in Support of the LLDCs, by Roel Janssens (UNECE)

• Session 6

  • The Way Forward, presentation by Ms. Nnana Pheto, Economic Affairs Officer (UN-OHRLLS)

• Closing Remarks by Ms. Schroderus-Fox, Acting-High-Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States