Key Impact Points:
- 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) launch a climate negotiating bloc under the UNFCCC to amplify their voices in global climate talks.
- New 10-year UN action plan integrates climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable development for LLDCs.
- Women’s leadership and digital inclusion prioritized, with calls for gender-responsive policies and improved STEM access.
New Bloc for a Common Cause
At the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) in Awaza, Turkmenistan, delegates agreed to form a new climate negotiating bloc under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The alliance will focus on advocating for the unique vulnerabilities of nations without direct sea access — challenges often overlooked in global climate forums.
Despite covering 12% of the world’s land surface, LLDCs have endured nearly 20% of global droughts and landslides over the past decade. Reliance on neighboring transit states for trade heightens their exposure to climate-induced disruptions. For the first time, the Awaza Programme of Action — adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2024 — includes a strong emphasis on climate adaptation.
Disproportionate Climate Risks
“Landlocked countries in general, they suffer about three times the economic losses compared to the global average,” said Natalia Alonso Cano, Chief of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. “Also, the mortality rates [when disasters strike these countries] are much higher than the global average.”
She underscored that early warning systems save both lives and livelihoods. Preparedness measures — from managing cattle during droughts to community relocation near water points — can mitigate losses.
“We need to take into account what is going to happen in 10, 20, 30 years. And climate change will become more extreme – we know this for sure.”
Structural Challenges to Resilience
Limited financial capacity, undiversified commodity-based economies, and governance weaknesses hinder climate responses. In 2024, one-third of LLDCs were in conflict or deemed unstable. The UN’s new decade-long plan aims to address these issues with a combined focus on adaptation, sustainable development, and risk reduction.
Women and Girls at the Forefront
Gender equality emerged as a central theme at the conference. At the Women Leaders’ Forum, H.E. Ms. Rabab Fatima, UN Under Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, highlighted progress: women now hold one-third of parliamentary seats in LLDCs, up from 7.8% in 2000. “This is higher than the global average,” she noted, adding that 11 of the world’s 54 female speakers of parliament come from LLDCs.
Still, challenges persist. “One in four women in LLDCs live in extreme poverty – that is nearly 75 million women; and nearly half – about 150 million – face food insecurity,” H.E. Ms. Fatima said.
Informal employment dominates women’s work (80% vs. a 56% global average), while early marriage and low education rates remain widespread. She called for gender-responsive industrial and development policies, particularly in rural areas, and greater internet access for women.
Closing the Digital Gap
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is developing targeted programmes to increase women’s digital participation.
“It’s not just about access, but also about building coding skills and introducing girls to fields like robotics,” said Dr. Cosmas Luckysin Zavazava, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau.
From Pledges to Implementation
As LLDC3 wraps up, countries are expected to reaffirm their political commitment to the Awaza Programme of Action. “Let this forum be a turning point,” H.E. Ms Fatima urged, calling for a decade of action that transforms commitments into tangible progress.
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