PM Oli returns after addressing global landlocked nations summit (photos)

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has returned home after presenting the shared challenges faced by landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) on the international stage.

He arrived in Kathmandu shortly before midnight on Friday following his participation in the Third United Nations Conference on LLDCs, held in Awaza, Turkmenistan.

At Tribhuvan International Airport’s VVIP lounge, PM Oli was welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh, cabinet ministers, the Chief Secretary, the Chief of Army Staff, and other senior government officials.

A contingent of the Nepal Army presented a guard of honor in his respect.

The conference, hosted at the invitation of Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, served as a key platform for LLDCs from Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America.

Representatives from 32 nations engaged in high-level discussions on the economic and logistical hurdles stemming from the lack of direct access to the sea — including costly and time-consuming transport processes, inadequate infrastructure, and distant markets, all of which undermine global trade competitiveness.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the forum emphasized strengthening strategic partnerships and scaling up investment to overcome these persistent barriers.

In his capacity as Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of Least Developed Countries, PM Oli addressed the plenary session, urging developed nations and the international community to extend meaningful cooperation in integrating LLDCs into global trade and connectivity networks.

Oli also co-chaired a high-level roundtable meeting and held bilateral talks with heads of delegations and senior officials from various countries and international organizations.

The conference reviewed the progress made since the adoption of the Vienna Programme of Action at the second LLDC conference in Austria in 2014 and charted new strategies to achieve sustainable development goals in a rapidly changing global environment.

It concluded with a collective commitment to unlock the full potential of LLDCs and work towards a shared and prosperous future.

The Nepali delegation included First Lady Radhika Shakya, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, the Prime Minister’s Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, senior government officials, and members of the press.