Third UN Conference on
Landlocked Developing Countries
Awaza, Turkmenistan
5-8 August 2025
Driving Progress through partnerships
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to convene the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) from 5-8 August in Awaza, Turkmenistan at the highest possible level, including Heads of State and Government, on the theme “Driving progress through partnerships”.
Stakeholder Participation in the Conference:
As guided by resolution A/RES/77/246, other relevant stakeholders, including the non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and the private sector whose work is relevant to the Conference are invited to participate as observers in the Conference and its preparatory meeting.
For additional information, please visit the Conference website: 3rd UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3)
Relevant stakeholders who have received special accreditation to any of the conferences and summits listed below (check the consolidated list here) may participate in the conference by following the REGISTER NOW link here. The registration deadline is 12 July 2025.
- The Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States
- The International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States
- The third International Conference on Small Island Developing States
- The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States
- The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
- The international meeting entitled “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity” and including those organizations accredited to participate in the sessions of the United Nations Environment Assembly
- The 2022 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
- The Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries
- The United Nations Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”
- Previous United Nations Conferences on Landlocked Developing Countries
- The organizations that were granted special accreditation to participate in the LLDC3 Conference per UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/77/246
Please Note
* ONLY organizations that fall within the above category will be able to use this form to register participants for the LLDC3 Conference.
* Each Organization will be able to register up to 10 (ten) representatives. If more than ten are registered under one organization, the Secretariat will approve registrations on a first-come first-serve basis, with reference to the letter of representation provided by the Organization.
* Participants must register individually via the relevant INDICO form. Bulk registrations are not permitted by the system.
* You must be at least 18 years old to register for this event.
* For NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC, please register at https://indico.un.org/event/1018559/
* Submitting registration doesn't guarantee your in-person participation. You will receive an approval letter confirming your in-person participation if your registration is approved.
Important: Please visit the Visa Information section of the LLDC3 website for guidelines and requirements for entering Turkmenistan. The list of confirmed participants may be shared with the host country to facilitate visa processing and access to the conference. For any kind of visa enquiries, please contact: visa@lldc3.gov.tm
Disclaimer: For technical issues related to Indico account creation and registration, please contact the Indico Support Team at support.accreditation@un.org.
If you do not already have an Indico account, please create one before proceeding with your application. Please find the user guide on creating the account here.
Facts Only
The Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) will take place from 5-8 August 2025 in Awaza, Turkmenistan.
The conference theme is "Driving progress through partnerships."
The UN General Assembly decided to convene the conference at the highest possible level, including Heads of State and Government.
Stakeholders such as NGOs, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and the private sector are invited to participate as observers.
Registration is open to organizations accredited to specific UN conferences, including those on Small Island Developing States, Sustainable Development, and previous LLDC conferences.
The registration deadline is 12 July 2025.
Each organization may register up to 10 representatives, with approval based on a first-come, first-served basis.
Participants must be at least 18 years old and register individually.
Visa requirements for Turkmenistan apply, and the host country may use the participant list to facilitate entry.
The conference website provides additional information and visa guidelines.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The LLDC3 conference represents a structured effort to address the unique challenges of landlocked developing countries through international cooperation. The emphasis on partnerships and stakeholder inclusion suggests a recognition of the interconnected nature of sustainable development. However, the restrictive registration process—limiting participation to pre-accredited organizations—raises questions about accessibility and representation. While the UN’s approach ensures a degree of institutional credibility, it may inadvertently exclude grassroots or emerging voices that lack prior accreditation.
The conference’s focus on landlocked countries highlights a persistent global disparity: these nations often face higher trade costs, infrastructure deficits, and limited access to global markets. The theme of "partnerships" implies a reliance on external support, which could reinforce dependency if not balanced with capacity-building for self-sufficiency. The host country, Turkmenistan, is itself a landlocked nation, adding symbolic weight to the event, but its political context—including restrictions on civil liberties—might influence the conference’s tone or outcomes.
**Patterns detected: none**
**Root cause:** The narrative assumes that top-down, institutional partnerships are the primary driver of progress for landlocked countries, potentially sidelining bottom-up or decentralized solutions. The historical pattern echoes earlier UN conferences where high-level commitments often outpace implementation, raising questions about accountability.
**Implications:** For human agency, the conference could empower marginalized nations by amplifying their voices, but the bureaucratic hurdles may limit participation. The costs of exclusion fall on smaller or less-connected organizations, while the benefits accrue to established actors with existing UN ties.
**Bridge questions:**
How might the conference ensure that outcomes translate into tangible, locally led solutions rather than just diplomatic agreements?
What mechanisms exist to include voices from landlocked countries that lack formal accreditation?
If partnerships are the solution, what safeguards prevent them from becoming extractive or conditional?
**Counterstrike scan:** A coordinated influence campaign might exploit the conference’s focus on partnerships to push narratives of dependency or to legitimize specific geopolitical agendas under the guise of development. However, the content here aligns with standard UN procedural transparency, with no signs of manipulation. The restrictive accreditation process, while bureaucratic, does not appear designed to exclude dissent but rather to manage logistics.