Vietnam continues to support and strengthen cooperation with landlocked developing countries.

From August 22-23, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the Asia-Europe Summit on the review of the Vienna Action Plan on Landlocked Developing Countries at the United Nations Conference Center, Bangkok, Thailand.

The high-level meeting was attended by nearly 200 delegates from 30 countries, including landlocked developing countries (LLDC) and related partner countries, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General for Asia (ESCAP), Europe (ECE) and the LLDC group (UN-OHRLL), and representatives of international organizations and non -governmental organizations.

The high-level meeting was held to review and update the progress of the Vienna Action Plan of LLDC countries in Asia and Europe in preparation for the organization of the 3rd United Nations Conference on LLDC countries in 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda.

At the conference, all parties highly appreciated the important results in the 9 years of implementing the Vienna Action Program in the LLDC countries in the Asia-Europe region, especially in infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation and goods transit.

Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Phoxay Khaykhamphihoune said that through the implementation of the VPoA, Laos has made great progress in building highway infrastructure, developing new routes, dry ports and logistics systems. However, delegates also acknowledged that the implementation of the action program is facing many obstacles and difficulties.

UN Deputy Secretary-General for UN-OHRLL Rabab Fatima emphasized that the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, climate change and the emergence of new digital technologies are challenges that are and will continue to influence the shaping of the action agenda for the next decade.

Ambassador Phan Chi Thanh highly appreciated the important significance of the meeting in building and orienting the action program for the next decade in line with the new international context and the development situation of the LLDC countries; at the same time, he made the following proposals:

Firstly, focus on connectivity and improving transport and logistics infrastructure of LLDC countries and between LLDC countries and neighboring countries in terms of both quality and quantity.

Second, focus on developing areas that are less affected by geographical distance such as sustainable tourism and the digital economy.

Third, strengthen cooperation in waterway transport on cross-border rivers because this could be a potential solution to open up opportunities to help LLDC countries integrate more deeply in international trade activities.

Ambassador Phan Chi Thanh said that Vietnam has implemented many actions to support LLDC countries such as actively developing the East-West Economic Corridor to facilitate the transportation of goods from landlocked countries and localities; organizing many international and regional events and conferences to discuss solutions related to transportation, transit and trade facilitation for developing countries, including LLDC countries.

The head of the Vietnamese delegation affirmed that Vietnam will continue to support and strengthen cooperation with friendly LLDC countries; and is ready to contribute to common goals and actions towards inclusive, sustainable and self-reliant development, leaving no country behind.

The high-level meeting is expected to adopt conference documents with specific recommendations focusing on promoting integration and implementation of international and regional agreements and treaties on transit and transport; facilitating trade such as implementing cross-border paperless trade measures; increasing the use and development of cross-border transport and logistics corridors; and implementing innovative and creative solutions to limit the impact of factors such as conflicts and epidemics that pose risks and disruptions to economic activities.

The Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC) group includes 32 landlocked developing countries within the United Nations framework, of which two-thirds are located in Asia and Africa.

The LLDCs group is of deep concern to the United Nations and specialized agencies such as UNCTAD, UN-OHRLLS... due to their specific geographical disadvantages, hindering the ability to trade and the majority being underdeveloped or developing countries.

The Vienna Action Programme adopted at the Vienna Conference in 2014 sets out activities focusing on priority areas to respond to the challenges of LDCs and towards economic restructuring in the period 2014 - 2024.

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