Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Adylbek Kasymaliev spoke at the opening of the 3rd UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries. The event is taking place in the Turkmen resort town of Awaza.
The head of the Kyrgyz government addressed the forum participants on behalf of 32 countries that lack direct access to sea ports. These countries unite more than 570 million people on four continents.
In his speech, Adylbek Kasymaliev conveyed words of greeting on behalf of the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov and recalled similar challenges that landlocked countries face: geographic isolation, high logistics costs, limited economic diversification, investment deficit and lack of financing.
He noted that over the past 20 years, thanks to the Almaty and Vienna Programmes of Action, the countries have made some progress: transit agreements with neighbors were concluded, trade procedures were improved, and digitalization was introduced. However, the head of the Cabinet emphasized that the goals set were not fully achieved.
He expressed hope that the Awaza Programme of Action for 2024-2034 will help correct previous mistakes and create a real strategy for sustainable growth for the group’s countries. He emphasized the need for not only financial assistance from partners, but also the transfer of knowledge, technology, and the provision of investment guarantees.
Adylbek Kasymaliev also spoke about the national projects implemented by Kyrgyzstan to overcome geographic barriers. He mentioned:
- The construction of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway,
- CASA-1000 project for the export of «green» electricity,
- Improvement of international highways,
Implementation of the fifth degree of «freedom of the air» policy in aviation.
«For us, the development of transport and energy infrastructure is not just a priority, but the basis for sustainable development,» he noted.
In conclusion, Adylbek Kasymaliev expressed hope that the group’s countries will be able to move from the status of «landlocked» to the status of «connected to the world» — through transport, trade and a shared pursuit of prosperity.
