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Somalia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Isaak Mohamud Mursal, took part in the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3), held on Tuesday in Awaza, Turkmenistan. He was accompanied by Ambassador Fathudin Ali Mohamed, Somalia’s Ambassador to Turkey and non-resident Ambassador to Turkmenistan.
Although Somalia is not landlocked, it is considered a Least Developed Country. Its participation in the conference shows its commitment to working with other nations to improve trade, strengthen regional cooperation, and support sustainable development across the world.
The LLDC3 conference, running from August 5 to 8, brings together leaders, diplomats, and experts from around the world. Its main goal is to find solutions to the challenges faced by landlocked developing countries—nations that have no access to the sea and must depend on other countries to reach international markets. This makes trade slower, more expensive, and less reliable for them.
This year’s conference is being held under the theme “Driving Progress through Partnerships.” The focus is on improving trade routes, reducing transport and border delays, and investing in infrastructure like roads, railways, and digital technology. These improvements would not only help landlocked countries, but also support the economies of neighboring countries, including coastal nations like Somalia.
Speaking about Somalia’s participation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was important for Somalia to be part of such discussions. “Even though Somalia has a coastline, it shares many of the same challenges as landlocked countries, especially when it comes to trade, infrastructure, and development,” the Ministry stated. “We are here to build partnerships and explore ways to work together for shared progress.”
The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, opened the conference with a powerful message. He said that the world’s 32 landlocked developing countries are home to over 600 million people, but their economies make up just over one percent of global trade. “This is a clear sign of deep inequalities,” he said. “These challenges are not impossible to fix. This conference is about finding solutions.”
Guterres also introduced the Awaza Programme of Action, a 10-year plan aimed at helping landlocked developing countries grow their economies through better trade systems, stronger partnerships, and investments in infrastructure.
Turkmenistan’s President, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, also spoke at the event. He called on all countries to work together to create a fairer, greener economy. He emphasized the need for development that protects nature and supports people’s wellbeing.
For Somalia, attending LLDC3 is part of its broader efforts to engage with the international community and contribute to discussions on global development. The country hopes to gain valuable insights from the experiences of other nations while also sharing its own strategies for overcoming economic and logistical challenges.
Somalia’s presence at the conference also signals its interest in playing a stronger role in regional trade and cooperation, particularly in the Horn of Africa and with neighboring landlocked nations like Ethiopia. As Somalia rebuilds and modernizes its economy, learning from global best practices and forming strong partnerships will be key to its success.
The LLDC3 conference continues until August 8, with discussions expected to result in stronger commitments between countries, new trade initiatives, and long-term plans to support economic growth for some of the world’s most vulnerable nations.