MINISTERIAL MEETING OF LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (LLDCS) CONVENES IN GENEVA AND ADOPTS MINISTERIAL DECLARATION
Geneva, 22 October 2025. The Ministerial Meeting of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) was convened successfully at the margin of the 16th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD16) being held in Geneva, Switzerland.
H.E. Ms. Davaasuren Gerelmaa, Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Mongolia and the Coordinator of the LLDC Group in Geneva, chaired the Ministerial Meeting. In her opening remarks, Ambassador D. Gerelmaa emphasized the urgent need of addressing trade-related challenges faced by LLDCs and called for active collaboration among the UN system agencies, World Trade Organization, and Member states in fully implementing the Awaza Programme of Action for LLDCs (2024–2034).
The Ministerial Meeting welcomed high-level participation from distinguished guests, namely, Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD; Ms. Rabab Fatima, Under Secretary-General and UN High Representative for Least Developed Countries, LLDCs, and Small Island Developing States (Un OHRLLS); Ms. Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe; Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre; Mr. Zhang Xiangchen, Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization; and Ms. Rubiolo Monica, Head of Trade Promotion of SECO, representing Switzerland - the host country of UNCTAD16.
Esteemed Ministers, Vice Ministers and Head of Delegations from 26 of the 32 Landlocked developing countries delivered respective remarks extending strong willingness to advance the shared priorities of LLDCs in the global trade and inclusive development.
The Ministerial Meeting wrapped up with the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration of the LLDCs, which has been submitted to the UNCTAD Secretariat for inclusion in the Outcome document of the 16th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD16).