KATHMANDU: Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli left for Turkmenistan at midnight to attend the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs).
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Pandey bid farewell to the Prime Minister at the VIP lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport.
Also present at the departure were the Chief Secretary of the Government of Nepal, the Chief of Army Staff, heads of security agencies, and senior government officials. The Nepali Army presented a guard of honour to the Prime Minister on the occasion.
Prime Minister Oli is attending the conference at the official invitation of Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedow and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. The event will take place in the city of Avaza, Turkmenistan, from August 5 to 8.
As the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau for Least Developed Countries, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the conference.
He will also co-chair a high-level roundtable discussion and participate in several other official events. Nepal currently holds the Chairmanship of the LLDC Group.
The conference will bring together representatives from 32 landlocked developing countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America.
Key issues under discussion include the absence of direct access to the sea, challenges in international trade and connectivity, and how landlocked nations can better integrate into the global market.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussions will focus on enhancing competitiveness by addressing transit-related inefficiencies, such as cumbersome border procedures, inadequate infrastructure, and the high cost of transportation due to long distances from major markets.
During the conference, Prime Minister Oli is expected to meet with heads of delegations from various countries, as well as senior officials from the United Nations and other international organizations.
The event aims to promote strategic partnerships and investments to help LLDCs overcome development obstacles and work toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This global forum is expected to play a key role in building a more inclusive and prosperous future for landlocked nations by helping them unlock their economic potential and improve their connectivity.
It also serves as a platform to reaffirm international cooperation for equitable development. Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to return to Nepal on August 8.
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