Mr. Chair,

Excellencies,

I would like to begin by conveying my sincere appreciation to the Government of Bolivia for its outstanding leadership as Chair of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and for convening this import ant ministerial meeting.

Taking this opportunity, I would also like to express my sincere thanks to the Government of Turkmenistan for the successful hosting of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) in Awaza, which marked a historic milestone for our Group.

Mr. Chair,

Guided by the theme: “From aspiration to action: Advancing sustainable development in LLDCs through the Awaza Programme of Action (APoA)”, this highlights both the urgency and opportunity for us during this challenging time.

The APoA provides a clear guideline for encapsulating the international community’s renewed commitment to address the vulnerabilities and unlock the untapped potentials for LLDCs. Having charted an ambitious course at the once-a-decade Conference, our collective responsibility now is to ensure that aspirations are translated into tangible and measurable outcomes through the comprehensive roadmap and result-oriented framework, with the support of OHRLLS.

Throughout 2025, we welcome the significant initiatives already undertaken to advance the APoA, including the establishment of the Group of LLDCs under the UNFCCC to strengthen climate action and advocacy, and the launch of the International Day of Awareness of the Special Development Needs and Challenges of LLDCs. We express our strong support for the creation of a coordination mechanism to facilitate the WTO LLDC Work Programme and to ensure engagement across other multilateral platforms as part of the collective efforts to implement the APoA.

Mr. Chair,

Within our national context, the Lao PDR is fully committed to advancing the APoA by streamlining its priorities into our national and sectoral strategies. Along with coordinated support from neighboring and transit countries as well as the international community, including UN funds and programmes and other multilateral organizations, we will continue our focus on upgrading cross-border transport infrastructure and digital corridors to reduce trade costs and enhance connectivity. Moreover, investing in dry ports, logistics parks, and multimodal transport systems has been increased to strengthen regional integration, and fostering private sector participation, expanding value chains and creating jobs.

Being the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, the Lao PDR is determined to transform itself from being landlocked into a land-linked country, leveraging our strategic location to serve as a transportation and logistical hub for the Mekong sub-region and beyond. This vision reflects not only our aspiration but our firm commitment to concrete actions, ensuring that our country contributes meaningfully to the collective progress of LLDCs in achieving sustainable growth and resilience, as well as global integration.

Mr. Chair,

In closing, the Lao PDR stands ready to work constructively with all partners to translate commitments into measurable outcomes, building on the momentum from Awaza. Our joint efforts will be critical in ensuring that LLDCs achieve sustainable growth, resilience, and integration into the global economy in the coming decades.

I thank you.