Landlocked But Not Blocked

Sustainable development is both urgent and complex. Navigating multiple challenges and arriving at development results can be a daunting task for any government. For landlocked countries, the climb to development is much steeper. 

First things first. Landlocked countries are those without direct access to open seas or oceans, meaning that they must rely on the countries around them to get their goods in and out of the country. There are 44 such countries world-wide, 32 of which are categorised by the United Nations as Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs).

Why is landlockedness an issue in development? Development has a lot to do with efficiency and return on investments. LLDCs, including Eswatini, carry higher costs of transporting goods, complicated and time-consuming transit and cross-border procedures, reliance on other countries’ transport and port infrastructure. A landlocked country’s development often is tied to that of the countries around it – if a country is locked in by poor or unstable neighbours, it will struggle to do better than them. The opposite is true: if a country is locked in by prosperous neighbours, it has a better pathway to its own development.  

Today, the mean GDP per capita in LLDCs remains only 24 % of the global average, and child mortality is up to 25 % higher than the global rate, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions. Goods take an average of 42 days to enter, and 37 days to exit LLDC borders.

The Awaza Programme of Action

In its continued effort to spotlight the peculiar development needs of LLDCs, the United Nations convened the Third Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) from 5-8 August in Turkmenistan, providing a valuable opportunity to align national development plans with regional strategies and global priorities.

LLDC3 culminated in the Awaza Programme of Action (APOA), articulating a unified vision to enhance transit connectivity, digital transformation, and climate resilience. 

The APOA rightly emphasizes that LLDCs must pursue practical, coordinated actions across national, regional, and global levels. Central to this effort is enhancing trade as well as international and regional connectivity to facilitate development. 

Operationalizing APOA will not be automatic. It will require political and economic astuteness, national implementation toolkits, catalytic financing, a facilitative environment for private investments, amongst others. If stakeholders fail to act decisively, the momentum of LLDC3 risks being lost.

Strengthening both the “hardware” and “software” of connectivity, from resilient roads, rail, energy, and air networks to harmonized legal frameworks and efficient cross-border procedures, is key. As the United Nations Secretary-General emphasized: “Geography should never define destiny…Yet for LLDCs, geography too often limits development opportunities and entrenches inequality.” When LLDCs are well-connected, entire regions can prosper. 

Not Blocked: Eswatini Can Overcome and Prosper 

There is no doubt that Eswatini has the vision and means to prosper despite its landlocked status. At the conference, I was privileged to listen to His Majesty King Mswati III’s strong statement, in which he aptly noted that “being landlocked is not just a geographic condition but a daily development challenge. High transport costs and vulnerability to global shocks slow our progress. Yet, these challenges inspire us to think innovatively and seize opportunities for cooperation.” 

I commend the equally strong participation of the Eswatini ministerial delegation of honourable ministers Pholile Shakantu, Savannah Maziya, Manqoba Khumalo and Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, who reinforced the Kingdom’s priorities in infrastructural transformation, science, technology and innovation, and trade cooperation, integration and facilitation.

My presence at the conference, alongside 14 of my fellow UN Resident Coordinators, underscored the UN’s commitment to providing coherent and integrated support for LLDCs. Collectively through the multiple platforms of the conference, we advanced transformative solutions across financing, climate resilience, trade facilitation and agri-food systems.

Conferences are only as good as the action they inspire. First, the mixed record of structural change in LLDCs underscores the need for modern, evidence-based industrial policies. These should be co-created with the private sector, target a wide range of sectors, and include targeted investment in research, innovation, and intellectual property rights. 

Second, digital transformation is critical. With internet access reaching just 39% of the population in LLDCs, there is a vast opportunity for growth. Beyond borders, regional innovation hubs can be drivers of regional integration. Locally, we must do everything possible to bring down the per capita cost of data and connect our rural areas.

Third, the vulnerabilities of LLDCs are compounded by climate risks. These countries contribute less than 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions but suffer disproportionately from impacts ranging from desertification in the Sahel to glacial retreat in South America. A concerted drive for equity and climate justice is key.

Taken together, these measures can transform the vision of LLDC3 into tangible progress. For Eswatini, this agenda offers a direct pathway to achieving inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development, aligned with national priorities, AfCFTA integration, and regional ambitions outlined by SADC. Geography must no longer determine destiny. It is time to turn commitments into action.