ASHGABAT, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday called for stronger global partnerships, regional connectivity, and inclusive development to address the challenges facing landlocked developing countries (LLDCs).
Speaking at the Third UN Conference on LLDCs, Tokayev said that LLDCs, home to over 500 million people, face major obstacles including limited access to finance, markets and regional transport, as well as exposure to geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions.
"These constraints add poverty and limit competitiveness," he said, urging deeper cooperation and stronger global representation of LLDCs.
He called for innovative financing and robust political will from transit countries and development institutions to boost investment in transport, energy, and digital sectors.
The Kazakh president also highlighted climate change issues, including water scarcity, glacier loss and desertification, underlining his country's effort in improving regional connectivity through building transit corridors.
"Central Asia is moving from being landlocked to landlinked," he said, calling for regional cooperation to turn geographic challenges into opportunities. ■
