Awaza
Turkmenistan
Secretary-General's remarks at the press conference at the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries
Press events | António Guterres, Secretary-General
Press events | António Guterres, Secretary-General
Ladies and Gentlemen of the press,
It is always a pleasure to be in Turkmenistan.
And I thank President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the people of Turkmenistan for their warm welcome.
Your hosting of this important global gathering is a testament to the country's commitment to international cooperation and sustainable development.
For the elements of the press of Turkmenistan, I have to say, as I mentioned this morning, that I've been coming to Turkmenistan for almost two decades.
And in my visits to Turkmenistan, when I was High Commissioner for Refugees, I was extremely impressed by the fact that Turkmenistan has solved one of the most difficult problems that we have today in the world: the problem of statelessness, especially when an Empire or a Federation, or at the time also the Soviet Union, are split, many people stay without nationality.
And you can imagine what it is not to have nationality. Not to have a country they can call theirs, not to have papers, not to have rights.
And here, all the stateless [people], that after the Soviet Union were in Turkmenistan - in an exemplary procedure they were all transformed into citizens of the country, and they gained the rights of all other citizens.
And this was almost unique in the world, a symbol of generosity that I never forgot, and this is the reason that being here, I also want to pay tribute to the generosity of the Turkmen people and the Turkmen Government that made possible the organization of this Conference.
This Conference reflects a new era of cooperation taking shape across Central Asia – one grounded in mutual trust, shared priorities, and growing regional solidarity.
At a time when multilateral cooperation is being tested, this spirit of partnership is more essential than ever.
This Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries is a powerful reminder of both the scale of the challenges these countries face – and the scale of the opportunity before us.
Landlocked developing countries – 32 in total, across four continents – represent nearly 600 million people.
People who deserve the same opportunities as anyone else – but who find themselves not only landlocked, but locked out of opportunities for global growth, finance, and technology – if the countries are countries in a process of development.
They face some of the highest trade and transport costs in the world;
Limited market access;
Growing debt burdens;
And intensifying climate and conflict risks.
Today’s discussions showed that Landlocked Developing Countries don’t want charity.
They want justice, they want equitable access.
Investment.
A fair chance to build resilient economies and inclusive societies.
The Awaza Programme of Action is a blueprint for doing so over the next decade – starting now.
And allow me to briefly highlight four areas where we must act – urgently and together for landlocked developing countries.
First, unlocking economic potential.
That means investing in infrastructure, but also in people – in education, digital skills, and local innovation.
The countries represented here have the talent and the ideas.
They need the tools and support.
And these includes scaling up digital infrastructure and access to frontier technologies – such as Artificial Intelligence – to boost productivity and open new markets.
Second, we must act to connect landlocked countries to the world.
Trade corridors, transit systems, and regional integration are not technical issues – they are lifelines.
Landlocked developing countries need smart logistics, streamlined systems, and stronger partnerships with transit countries.
We must cut red tape, digitize border operations, and modernize transport networks to reduce delays and costs.
Third, we must act to confront the climate crisis.
Landlocked developing countries contribute little to global emissions but suffer some of the worst impacts – from floods to droughts and desertification.
The world must double adaptation finance and support LLDCs in building resilience and developing green industries.
And fourth and finally, we must make the global financial system work for those who need it most.
Too many landlocked countries are trapped in a cycle of debt and underinvestment.
They pay more to borrow – yet receive less support.
They need concessional finance at much greater scale, effective debt relief, and an international financial architecture that reflects the economy of today, not 80 years ago.
That is why I have been consistently calling for the reform of international financial institutions – to provide greater representation of developing countries at the decision-making table;
And to ensure that Multilateral Development Banks become bigger and bolder, substantially increase their landing capacity, and play a far greater role in de-risking investments and mobilizing private capital at scale.
When Landlocked Developing Countries thrive, entire regions benefit.
The United Nations is committed to working with every country to turn the Awaza Programme of Action into real results:
Jobs created. Goods exported. Emissions reduced. Lives transformed.
And we count on all Member States to support this effort and ensure that no country is left behind simply because of its geography.
This is not only a matter of development.
It is a matter of dignity and justice.
Thank you.
***
Question: Toby Gregory from Euronews. You mentioned in your speech earlier about geography not defining destiny and wonder if landlocked countries being left behind. And just with that in mind, if there is one message you can give the global community in terms of how they can work better with the Landlocked countries, what would that message be?
Secretary-General: When one sees landlocked countries, we see a number of problems that can be resolved. You have in Europe several landlocked countries, but they have free access to harbors, they have free movement of goods and people around the European continent.
It is important that any landlocked country gains access to international markets, that infrastructures are created and rules are established, to allow for products to come in and out and to be integrated in international markets, but I'm not worried about landlocked developed countries. I’m worried about landlocked developing countries. In any case, there will be higher costs. In any case, there will be more difficulties. And so as developing countries to be able to overcome the challenge of being landlocked, being far from harbors, being far from many aspects related to the functioning of international markets, it's essential that the international community creates the conditions for development. Which means reforms of international financial system, which means effective debt relief, which means that multilateral development banks become bigger, are adequately capitalized and bolder, able to increase substantially concessional funding, but also to mobilize a lot of private capital, derisking private capital. It is also essential that the mechanisms of concessional funding are substantially increased.
So, we need to address the problems of the countries because they are developing, and we need to address the problems of countries because beyond being developing, they are landlocked. But in any case, freedom of circulation of goods, services and people is an essential element, and the infrastructure and infrastructure necessary to make it happen are also essential. I'll give you an example: Portugal before joining European Union had 4% of its foreign trade with Spain. Today, it has 40%. That shows how good connections and freedom of movement increase substantially the capacity of landlocked countries finding ways to develop.
There is a High-Level panel for freedom of transit, and it will be established in the consequences of these agreements.
It is always a pleasure to be in Turkmenistan.
And I thank President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the people of Turkmenistan for their warm welcome.
Your hosting of this important global gathering is a testament to the country's commitment to international cooperation and sustainable development.
For the elements of the press of Turkmenistan, I have to say, as I mentioned this morning, that I've been coming to Turkmenistan for almost two decades.
And in my visits to Turkmenistan, when I was High Commissioner for Refugees, I was extremely impressed by the fact that Turkmenistan has solved one of the most difficult problems that we have today in the world: the problem of statelessness, especially when an Empire or a Federation, or at the time also the Soviet Union, are split, many people stay without nationality.
And you can imagine what it is not to have nationality. Not to have a country they can call theirs, not to have papers, not to have rights.
And here, all the stateless [people], that after the Soviet Union were in Turkmenistan - in an exemplary procedure they were all transformed into citizens of the country, and they gained the rights of all other citizens.
And this was almost unique in the world, a symbol of generosity that I never forgot, and this is the reason that being here, I also want to pay tribute to the generosity of the Turkmen people and the Turkmen Government that made possible the organization of this Conference.
This Conference reflects a new era of cooperation taking shape across Central Asia – one grounded in mutual trust, shared priorities, and growing regional solidarity.
At a time when multilateral cooperation is being tested, this spirit of partnership is more essential than ever.
This Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries is a powerful reminder of both the scale of the challenges these countries face – and the scale of the opportunity before us.
Landlocked developing countries – 32 in total, across four continents – represent nearly 600 million people.
People who deserve the same opportunities as anyone else – but who find themselves not only landlocked, but locked out of opportunities for global growth, finance, and technology – if the countries are countries in a process of development.
They face some of the highest trade and transport costs in the world;
Limited market access;
Growing debt burdens;
And intensifying climate and conflict risks.
Today’s discussions showed that Landlocked Developing Countries don’t want charity.
They want justice, they want equitable access.
Investment.
A fair chance to build resilient economies and inclusive societies.
The Awaza Programme of Action is a blueprint for doing so over the next decade – starting now.
And allow me to briefly highlight four areas where we must act – urgently and together for landlocked developing countries.
First, unlocking economic potential.
That means investing in infrastructure, but also in people – in education, digital skills, and local innovation.
The countries represented here have the talent and the ideas.
They need the tools and support.
And these includes scaling up digital infrastructure and access to frontier technologies – such as Artificial Intelligence – to boost productivity and open new markets.
Second, we must act to connect landlocked countries to the world.
Trade corridors, transit systems, and regional integration are not technical issues – they are lifelines.
Landlocked developing countries need smart logistics, streamlined systems, and stronger partnerships with transit countries.
We must cut red tape, digitize border operations, and modernize transport networks to reduce delays and costs.
Third, we must act to confront the climate crisis.
Landlocked developing countries contribute little to global emissions but suffer some of the worst impacts – from floods to droughts and desertification.
The world must double adaptation finance and support LLDCs in building resilience and developing green industries.
And fourth and finally, we must make the global financial system work for those who need it most.
Too many landlocked countries are trapped in a cycle of debt and underinvestment.
They pay more to borrow – yet receive less support.
They need concessional finance at much greater scale, effective debt relief, and an international financial architecture that reflects the economy of today, not 80 years ago.
That is why I have been consistently calling for the reform of international financial institutions – to provide greater representation of developing countries at the decision-making table;
And to ensure that Multilateral Development Banks become bigger and bolder, substantially increase their landing capacity, and play a far greater role in de-risking investments and mobilizing private capital at scale.
When Landlocked Developing Countries thrive, entire regions benefit.
The United Nations is committed to working with every country to turn the Awaza Programme of Action into real results:
Jobs created. Goods exported. Emissions reduced. Lives transformed.
And we count on all Member States to support this effort and ensure that no country is left behind simply because of its geography.
This is not only a matter of development.
It is a matter of dignity and justice.
Thank you.
***
Question: Toby Gregory from Euronews. You mentioned in your speech earlier about geography not defining destiny and wonder if landlocked countries being left behind. And just with that in mind, if there is one message you can give the global community in terms of how they can work better with the Landlocked countries, what would that message be?
Secretary-General: When one sees landlocked countries, we see a number of problems that can be resolved. You have in Europe several landlocked countries, but they have free access to harbors, they have free movement of goods and people around the European continent.
It is important that any landlocked country gains access to international markets, that infrastructures are created and rules are established, to allow for products to come in and out and to be integrated in international markets, but I'm not worried about landlocked developed countries. I’m worried about landlocked developing countries. In any case, there will be higher costs. In any case, there will be more difficulties. And so as developing countries to be able to overcome the challenge of being landlocked, being far from harbors, being far from many aspects related to the functioning of international markets, it's essential that the international community creates the conditions for development. Which means reforms of international financial system, which means effective debt relief, which means that multilateral development banks become bigger, are adequately capitalized and bolder, able to increase substantially concessional funding, but also to mobilize a lot of private capital, derisking private capital. It is also essential that the mechanisms of concessional funding are substantially increased.
So, we need to address the problems of the countries because they are developing, and we need to address the problems of countries because beyond being developing, they are landlocked. But in any case, freedom of circulation of goods, services and people is an essential element, and the infrastructure and infrastructure necessary to make it happen are also essential. I'll give you an example: Portugal before joining European Union had 4% of its foreign trade with Spain. Today, it has 40%. That shows how good connections and freedom of movement increase substantially the capacity of landlocked countries finding ways to develop.
There is a High-Level panel for freedom of transit, and it will be established in the consequences of these agreements.