Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is set to leave for Turkmenistan tonight at 11:55 PM via FlyDubai, with a layover in Dubai. He will be leading the Nepali delegation to attend the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), to be held in Avaza, Turkmenistan, from August 5 to 8 (Shrawan 20–23).
PM Oli is visiting Turkmenistan at the official invitation of Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. As the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of LLDCs, PM Oli is scheduled to deliver a keynote address during the conference and co-chair a high-level roundtable session. He will also address several other thematic sessions, according to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The conference will bring together 32 landlocked developing countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America — collectively home to around 440 million people. Discussions will focus on issues arising from the lack of direct access to seaports, including isolation from global markets, burdensome transit procedures, long distances to major markets, inadequate infrastructure, and high transport and transaction costs.
The aim is to boost the competitiveness and integration of LLDCs into the global economy. The conference will also explore innovative solutions, strategic partnerships, and increased investment to address these pressing challenges and unlock the full potential of LLDCs for a sustainable and inclusive future.
During the visit, PM Oli will hold bilateral meetings with heads of delegations from various countries, senior UN officials, and representatives from other international organizations.
The Prime Minister is accompanied by his spouse Radhika Shakya, Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Member of Parliament Surya Bahadur Thapa Kshetri, Principal Private Secretary Rajesh Bajracharya, Private Physician Dr. Divya Singh Shah, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, high-ranking government officials, official media personnel, and security staff.
PM Oli is scheduled to return to Nepal on Shrawan 23 (August 8).
This third UN conference on LLDCs follows the second one held in Vienna, Austria, in November 2014, which reviewed the implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action and focused on addressing new challenges through partnerships and international cooperation in trade and transit transport systems.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that all preparations for the visit have been completed. PM Oli briefed President Ramchandra Paudel about the upcoming trip during a meeting held on Saturday.
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