UN Secretary-General António Guterres sent an official letter to the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in which he expressed his gratitude for organizing the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). The conference took place in Awaza from 5 to 8 August 2025.
In his message, Guterres noted that Turkmenistan’s “long-standing commitment” to peace and multilateral dialogue created an “appropriate framework” for the event. He highly praised the President’s role in bringing together participants from all over the world, including heads of state and government, representatives of civil society, youth, and the media.
The Secretary-General emphasized that the Conference played a “vital role in aligning national actions, regional cooperation, and global policy frameworks to enable landlocked developing countries to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth while strengthening their ability to withstand future shocks.”
Following the Conference, the Awaza Political Declaration and the Awaza Programme of Action were adopted. Guterres called them an “ambitious plan of action for the next decade,” which is closely linked to the Pact for the Future and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He noted that these commitments aim to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on trade facilitation, structural transformation, transport connectivity, technology, climate resilience, and the mobilization of international support.
Concluding his letter, António Guterres expressed his deep appreciation to President Berdimuhamedov and the people of Turkmenistan for the warm welcome extended to him and his delegation. He also expressed hope for close cooperation in the full and effective implementation of the Awaza Programme of Action. ///nCa, 28 August 2025