Tag Archives: host

Awaza gears up to host UN conference on landlocked developing countries

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More than 20 heads of state and government and some 3,000 delegates from international organizations, civil society, youth, academia and the private sector are expected to attend the conference.

UN News is on the ground in Awaza, reporting on the event as it unfolds.

At the flag-raising, Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov formally welcomed participants. “Welcome to Awaza. I wish all participants success in the Conference,” he said.

UN High Representative Rabab Fatima expressed hope that the gathering would help “strengthen and expand partnerships among nations.”

Shared challenges and solutions

The opening ceremony, on Tuesday, will be attended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, arriving from Almaty, Kazakhstan, where he spoke at the new Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres (centre), alongside Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu (left), and Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN Kairat Umarov (right), arriving in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

“This Centre symbolizes the new era of cooperation in Central Asia – grounded in shared priorities and solutions,” he said.

Warning of “complex and interlinked challenges” including stalled poverty reduction, rising hunger and accelerating climate impacts, he stressed that Central Asia is already experiencing melting glaciers, shrinking water supplies and growing trade barriers.

The Centre, he added, can become “a vital pioneer” for implementing the Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries, turning geographic constraints into opportunities through regional cooperation.

A city transformed

Awaza, a national tourist zone on Turkmenistan’s Caspian coast, has been transformed into a global forum.

Final deliveries of water stations, security scanners, screens and technical equipment continued Sunday at the large sports complex-turned-conference venue. UN technical staff and local teams worked around the clock to set up cameras, plenary halls and logistics for dozens of side events.

“A massive preparatory effort has been carried out jointly with the UN to create the necessary conditions for delegates and all participants,” said Aksoltan Atayeva, Turkmenistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN. “We take our responsibility seriously and are doing everything possible to ensure the best conditions and successful work.”

Final preparations being made at the venue of the LLDC3 conference in Awaza, Turkmenistan.

Beyond meetings

In a nearby pavilion, countries prepared exhibitions highlighting progress in transport, energy and communications.

“The Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline are among the key projects,” Annaberdi Kashanov at the Turkmenistan pavilion, told UN News.

There are 32 landlocked developing countries worldwide, home to over 500 million people. Many are also among the world’s least developed countries, facing structural challenges such as high transport costs, limited market access and vulnerability to climate shocks.

Robust infrastructure and improved connectivity remain critical to overcoming these barriers, facilitating trade and integration into global markets.

The LLDC3 conference aims to promote global partnerships to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development.

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From border control to belonging: How host communities gain from empowering refugees

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In 2024, 122 million people were forcibly displaced — a number expected to rise in the coming years, according to Bob Rae, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), addressing a meeting on the pressing issue in New York on Thursday.

As population movements become much more complex due to wars disproportionately impacting civilians, climate disasters, hunger and poverty, 70 per cent of refugees live in low to middle-income countries.

Refugee rights

International responses to refugee flows are becoming increasingly politicised, especially as aid is decreasing.

Rather than focusing on addressing the root causes of such crises, the Global North has focused on border management and the control of refugee flows, “often at the expense of the rights of people on the move,” Filippo Grandi, Head of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) told the ECOSOC gathering.

According to Mr. Grandi, although border management is an important aspect of national government response to the refugee crisis, the emphasis should rather be on making refugees feel more integrated within host communities.

Inclusion of refugees translates to freedom of movement, access to basic services such as healthcare, education, work opportunities, and valid documentation that allows them to work and contribute.

Representatives from Colombia and Mauritania joined a meeting convened by Mr. Rae to talk about better ways to help refugees and the communities that host them, while also finding long-term solutions to the forced displacement crisis.

Both Colombia and Mauritania have welcomed thousands of refugees into their countries, and outlined the positive impact refugees have had on their countries.

Temporary Protection Status in Colombia

In 2021, Colombia adopted a Temporary Protection Status (TPS) programme for Venezuelan refugees.

Today, 2.5 million Venezuelans in Colombia have valid documentation, which provides them access to public services, legal employment, and education.

TPS has not only allowed them to regain dignity and security, but it has also helped Colombia regulate refugee flows.

Human rights at the fore in Mauritania

For over a decade, Mauritania has been hosting large numbers of refugees, most of them from neighbouring Mali.

Committed to upholding the human rights of both refugees and host communities, Mauritania recognises refugees as citizens, providing them with the right to education, healthcare, employment, and legal protection.

Mauritania is working to improve refugee livelihoods while simultaneously enhancing the capacity of host communities by emphasising the role refugees have in local development.

By investing in the resilience of host communities and social cohesion, Mauritania ensures both refugees and host communities live in dignity.

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