MINISTERIAL MEETING OF LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES CONVENES AND ADOPTS JOINT DECLARATION AT WTO MC14
The 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), based in Geneva, is taking place in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 25 to 29 March 2026.
On the margins of the MC14, the Ministerial Meeting of the 32 Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) was convened successfully under the chairmanship of Mongolian delegation on 25 March 2026.
Opening the Ministerial Meeting on behalf of Mongolia—current Coordinator of the LLDC Group in Geneva—Ambassador D. Gerelmaa, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the UN Office in Geneva, the WTO, and other international organizations, underscored the importance of addressing the common trade challenges faced by LLDCs. She highlighted the need to expand opportunities for participation in international trade, economic cooperation, investment, digitalization, and regional integrations.
Ambassador D. Gerelmaa also emphasized the critical role of active cooperation of the LLDC Group Members in collaboration with WTO, UN system agencies and other international organizations in implementing the Awaza Programme of Action of LLDCs (2024–2034).
The Ministerial Meeting welcomed high-level participations, namely, WTO Deputy Director-General Mr. Zhang Xiangchen; UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Mr. P. M. Moreno; ITC Director of Regional Development Programmes Mr. E. Oliveira Gomez; Mr. Jamie Macleod, Economic Adviser at the UN Office of the High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS; and D. Dulguun, Executive Director of the International Think Tank for LLDCs.
Esteemed Ministers, Vice Ministers and Head of Delegations from 25 of the 32 Landlocked developing countries delivered respective remarks extending strong willingness to advance the shared priorities of LLDCs in the multilateral trading system and inclusive development with a unified voice within the WTO, promote trade and investment, strengthen capacity building, and support research and analytical works relevant to LLDC.
The Ministerial Meeting concluded with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration of the LLDCs, which has been submitted to the WTO Secretariat for inclusion in the outcome documents of the WTO 14th Ministerial
Conference.