The Kigali Programme of Action to Chart a Proper Path for LDC’s economic growth & Development- USG Mrs. Rabab Fatima

Unless a robust and sustainable roadmap is established and implemented for landlocked and developing countries to prosper, a significant global population will likely remain vulnerable, hindering the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) continue to face many issues, especially the lack of access to the global marketplace, inadequate transport and logistics infrastructure, heavy overdependence on neighbouring countries, and insufficient ICT infrastructure. These challenges pose significant obstacles to the realisation of the SDGs.

To tackle these issues, Mrs. Rabab Fatima, the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the UN OHRLLS, Secretary-General of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, believes that the 3rd United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries will provide a suitable platform for all stakeholders to convene and discuss potential solutions to the mentioned challenges.

“The Kigali Programme of Action will define the state of affairs and how we respond to the particular priorities and challenges of the landlocked developing countries for the next decade,” she said.

Mrs. Rabab made these statements in an exclusive interview with UN Rwanda News Desk during her visit to Rwanda. The purpose of her visit was to consult with the host country on the preparations for the conference, to sensitise the political leaders to the importance of the conference for the common development agenda, and to visit the proposed venue of the conference.

“It’s an opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved over the last 10 years but also look at the new challenges and the new priorities for the landlocked developing countries and see how best we can have an actionable forward-looking new programme,” she said.

The UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries is held every 10 years. The 3rd Conference which Rwanda will host next year will provide a successor to the Vienna Programme of Action 2014 and will be called the Kigali Programme of Action 2024. The Conference will be a great platform that opens possibilities to explore innovative solutions and to build meaningful partnerships to unlock the potential of landlocked developing countries in different parts of the world.

Click here to watch the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiQtCJkkeW4&t=2s