AWAZA:Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has co-chaired the Round Table on Trade Facilitation and Regional Cooperation at the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs).

In the session, PM Oli discussed the importance of enhanced regional collaboration and trade facilitation measures to overcome the structural challenges faced by LLDCs.

The roundtable focused on reducing trade barriers, improving connectivity infrastructure, and promoting economic integration among landlocked nations.

Nepal, currently holding the chairmanship of the LLDC group, has been actively advocating for the interests of 32 landlocked developing countries participating in the conference.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Oli had delivered Nepal’s national statement during the LLDC plenary session, where he called on the global community to address the structural barriers that isolate landlocked countries from global trade routes.

“Connectivity is a matter of justice, not charity,” Oli remarked, urging coastal nations to open transit routes as a duty, not an act of grace.

He emphasized that the burden of landlockedness should not be borne solely by affected countries.

“The key lies with coastal nations. Transforming barriers into innovations is a shared responsibility,” Oli said, underlining the need for international cooperation in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for LLDCs.”

The LLDC conference aims to review progress under the Vienna Program of Action and to adopt a new action plan for the next decade, focusing on connectivity, trade facilitation, and inclusive economic growth for landlocked nations.