Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev Delivers Speech at Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries
Distinguished Heads of Delegations!
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to His Excellency Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the President of Turkmenistan, and to Honourable Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the National Leader of Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, for their warm welcome and splendid organization of today's conference.
It is indeed symbolic that this forum is taking place in beautiful Avaza, a pearl of the Caspian Sea, in the International Year of Peace and Trust, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly at the initiative
of Turkmenistan.
Uzbekistan highly values and strongly supports Turkmenistan's efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure global and regional stability and prosperity.
I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for his personal engagement in promoting the issues of landlocked countries as a priority international issue.
We fully support the Avaza Political Declaration and are committed to engage actively in the implementation of the ten-year Program of Action.
Distinguished participants!
The issues discussed at this conference are of vital importance to all of us.
I should mention that our country has access to maritime communications only by crossing the territories of several other countries. In our case, a number of challenges are created due to the fact that the nearest seaports are located almost three thousand kilometers away. They are high tariffs, limited capacity of transport corridors and infrastructure, and dependence on the customs and transit policies of other states.
According to the World Bank, the Central Asian region loses up to 2% of its GDP annually due to high transport costs and transit instability. Logistics costs account for up to 60% of the total cost of goods, which is several times higher than the global average.
In this regard, developing new reliable transit corridors and logistics infrastructure is essential for sustainable progress in Central Asia.
The agenda that brings us together today touches upon a fundamental issue – the issue of justice. It is about having the opportunity for landlocked countries to participate in the global economy on an equal footing.
Solving this problem requires three fundamental conditions. They are modernizing infrastructure as the basis for sustainable growth; strengthening interconnectivity to prevent transit problems; and recognizing the right to development as a key element of global equality.
I would like to emphasize that in recent years for this end Uzbekistan has undertaken systematic efforts to develop a modern transport and logistics network with active private-sector involvement.
Uzbekistan is demonstrating strong momentum towards greater openness and transparency in logistics. Complex measures are being implemented to facilitate the digitalization of trade and transport processes.
Structural economic reforms, trade liberalization and a radical improvement in the investment climate have already yielded tangible results. The competitiveness has increased and innovative development has accelerated.
The achievement of a qualitatively new level of trust and partnership in Central Asia has provided a powerful impetus for dynamic transformations.
Today, a single transport and logistics space is being established in the region. Comprehensive programs and projects are being implemented to transform Central Asia into a fully-fledged transit hub between East and West, North and South.
In recent years, mutual trade volumes have grown 4.5-fold. Investments have doubled and the number of joint ventures has increased fivefold.
This year jointly with our partners we have started construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. Freight traffic on the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Turkiye transport corridor has increased significantly.
Esteemed conference participants!
In today's world, it is crucial to have concrete, feasible and institutionally supported solutions to overcome common threats and challenges.
In this regard, Uzbekistan proposes the following:
First. Coordinated action is needed to expedite the development of international transport corridors and infrastructure.
We advocate accelerating the preparation and implementation of the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway construction project. Converging this promising corridor with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway line, which is now under construction, will open up opportunities to form a new trade and economic space, as well as sustainable transport infrastructure, in our vast region.
We also prioritize the development of the Middle Corridor. Its full utilization requires, in the first place, a coordinated transit policy, common rules and reasonable tariffs for container transportation.
Second. We propose developing a Global Agreement on Transit Guarantees for Landlocked Countries under the auspices of the United Nations.
Such mechanism will ensure conditions for fair access to seaports and communications, reduce the risks of cargo transportation and inequality in global logistics.
Third. There is a growing demand for flexible investment instruments to finance major infrastructure projects.
The Central Asian countries' need for investment in transport infrastructure is estimated at nearly $40 billion per year.
To this end, we propose establishing a United Nations-backed Fund for Promotion of Logistical Integration of the landlocked countries. It would be reasonable attracting resources from donor countries, international development institutions and global programs to this Fund.
Fourth. We propose developing a Global Vulnerability Index for landlocked countries.
The Index would become an effective tool for objective evaluation of the limited transit capabilities of our countries, expansion of international financial and technical programs and effective resource allocation based on the actual situation.
Most importantly, this Index must be taken into account in fairly assessing the competitiveness and business environment of our countries.
Fifth. We believe it is extremely important to implement the proposal to create in Uzbekistan an Innovation Hub for Agricultural Sector Development.
This hub will promote adaptive agricultural technologies, innovative water conservation and food security projects, and the sharing knowledge and best practices.
Sixth. In order to develop tangible proposals for jointly addressing common threats, it is important to actively involve leading experts and think tanks from our countries. To this end, we propose holding a series of international forums and roundtable discussions.
The agenda for such events could include deep integration of our countries into global production chains; artificial intelligence and digital technologies' rapid development; expanding cross-border investment and supporting start-ups.
Uzbekistan is also committed to joining the International Analytical Centre for Landlocked Countries.
Distinguished Heads of Delegation!
Access to global markets should be equal for all. This is not just an economic necessity. Above all, it is an important factor for sustainable development, trust and cooperation in international relations.
I would like to reiterate that Uzbekistan is always open for constructive and long-term partnerships in forming a fair global development architecture.
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Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev Delivers Speech at Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries
Yara Sameh Distinguished Heads of Delegations! First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to His Excellency Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the President of Turkmenistan, and to Honourable Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the National Leader of Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, for their warm welcome and splendid organization of today's conference. It is indeed symbolic that this forum is taking place in beautiful Avaza, a pearl of the Caspian Sea, in the International Year of Peace and Trust, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly at the initiative of Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan highly values and strongly supports Turkmenistan's efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure global and regional stability and prosperity. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for his personal engagement in promoting the issues of landlocked countries as a priority international issue. We fully support the Avaza Political Declaration and are committed to engage actively in the implementation of the ten-year Program of Action. Distinguished participants! The issues discussed at this conference are of vital importance to all of us. I should mention that our country has access to maritime communications only by crossing the territories of several other countries. In our case, a number of challenges are created due to the fact that the nearest seaports are located almost three thousand kilometers away. They are high tariffs, limited capacity of transport corridors and infrastructure, and dependence on the customs and transit policies of other states. According to the World Bank, the Central Asian region loses up to 2% of its GDP annually due to high transport costs and transit instability. Logistics costs account for up to 60% of the total cost of goods, which is several times higher than the global average. In this regard, developing new reliable transit corridors and logistics infrastructure is essential for sustainable progress in Central Asia. The agenda that brings us together today touches upon a fundamental issue – the issue of justice. It is about having the opportunity for landlocked countries to participate in the global economy on an equal footing. Solving this problem requires three fundamental conditions. They are modernizing infrastructure as the basis for sustainable growth; strengthening interconnectivity to prevent transit problems; and recognizing the right to development as a key element of global equality. I would like to emphasize that in recent years for this end Uzbekistan has undertaken systematic efforts to develop a modern transport and logistics network with active private-sector involvement. Uzbekistan is demonstrating strong momentum towards greater openness and transparency in logistics. Complex measures are being implemented to facilitate the digitalization of trade and transport processes. Structural economic reforms, trade liberalization and a radical improvement in the investment climate have already yielded tangible results. The competitiveness has increased and innovative development has accelerated. The achievement of a qualitatively new level of trust and partnership in Central Asia has provided a powerful impetus for dynamic transformations. Today, a single transport and logistics space is being established in the region. Comprehensive programs and projects are being implemented to transform Central Asia into a fully-fledged transit hub between East and West, North and South. In recent years, mutual trade volumes have grown 4.5-fold. Investments have doubled and the number of joint ventures has increased fivefold. This year jointly with our partners we have started construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. Freight traffic on the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Turkiye transport corridor has increased significantly. Esteemed conference participants! In today's world, it is crucial to have concrete, feasible and institutionally supported solutions to overcome common threats and challenges. In this regard, Uzbekistan proposes the following: First. Coordinated action is needed to expedite the development of international transport corridors and infrastructure. We advocate accelerating the preparation and implementation of the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway construction project. Converging this promising corridor with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway line, which is now under construction, will open up opportunities to form a new trade and economic space, as well as sustainable transport infrastructure, in our vast region. We also prioritize the development of the Middle Corridor. Its full utilization requires, in the first place, a coordinated transit policy, common rules and reasonable tariffs for container transportation. Second. We propose developing a Global Agreement on Transit Guarantees for Landlocked Countries under the auspices of the United Nations. Such mechanism will ensure conditions for fair access to seaports and communications, reduce the risks of cargo transportation and inequality in global logistics. Third. There is a growing demand for flexible investment instruments to finance major infrastructure projects. The Central Asian countries' need for investment in transport infrastructure is estimated at nearly $40 billion per year. To this end, we propose establishing a United Nations-backed Fund for Promotion of Logistical Integration of the landlocked countries. It would be reasonable attracting resources from donor countries, international development institutions and global programs to this Fund. Fourth. We propose developing a Global Vulnerability Index for landlocked countries. The Index would become an effective tool for objective evaluation of the limited transit capabilities of our countries, expansion of international financial and technical programs and effective resource allocation based on the actual situation. Most importantly, this Index must be taken into account in fairly assessing the competitiveness and business environment of our countries. Fifth. We believe it is extremely important to implement the proposal to create in Uzbekistan an Innovation Hub for Agricultural Sector Development. This hub will promote adaptive agricultural technologies, innovative water conservation and food security projects, and the sharing knowledge and best practices. Sixth. In order to develop tangible proposals for jointly addressing common threats, it is important to actively involve leading experts and think tanks from our countries. 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