Top officials urge greater development assistance for landlocked countries | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

The international community must aid the world’s landlocked developing countries (LLDC) in pursuing their goals for greater economic development to transition from being landlocked to “landlinked,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon advised today, noting that only through comprehensive improvements in trade would such nations be best prepared to tackle the post-2015 agenda.

Speaking at the opening of the Second UN Conference on LLDCs, taking place from 3 to 5 November, in Vienna, Austria, the Secretary-General told more than 1,000 delegates that the world’s new plans to address global challenges “must take account” of conditions in LLDCs.

“We need greater regional integration. This will strengthen trade ties. It will increase economic groupings,” declared Mr. Ban. “Regional integration can transform countries from being landlocked to ‘landlinked.’

There are 32 countries classified as landlocked developing, 16 of which are located in Africa, 10 in Asia, 4 in Europe and 2 in Latin America. Lack of territorial access to the sea, remoteness and isolation from world markets and high transit costs continue to impose serious constraints on their overall socio-economic development.

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